Fairytales are for Fools
by A.Nightmare.You.Love
Summary: Fairytales are for fools. Happily ever after is such a glorified lie. Reality doesn’t work like that.


**Fairytales are for Fools**

**For AliceWillBeAlice, the 100th reviewer of BSPE. Thanks!**

**I started a picture about this awhile ago with the intention to finish it in the vague someday. Then I got a delightfully vague request and decided maybe now would be a good time to write up the story I had barely begun to touch in a picture that is painfully clear in my head. It's a simple picture even there but it's the emotions that are important. Enjoy this please.**

**Oh, and I shamelessly stole this line from the author of Deae Ex Machina: 'If we can't be straight in any other capacity, let's be straight with each other.' Chapter 9 – On Job Opportunities and Other Questionable Ideas, Larxene to Xemnas. If I'm going to steal the line, I'm going to shamelessly advertise it. And you should read it because it is one of the funniest things you will **_**ever**_** read. It's not an AU, but like an 'after KH2' fic. And it kicks so much ass.**

**Summary: Fairytales are for fools. Happily ever after is such a glorified lie. Reality doesn't work like that.**

**Warnings: Life is a vicious, cruel bitch? There's honestly a lot to be warning you against...but since it was part of the request, I'm just gonna say beware of the smut.**

**Pairings: Well, one would assume your eyes could wander up to the little thing up there that tells you. However, it is AkuRoku aka AxelRoxas. No matter what other pairings there are in the fic, this is an **_**AxelRoxas **_**fic. Even though at times it appears otherwise. **

**DiZ-claimer: I own **_**nothing. **_

The earlier summer sun beat down on the city brutally and made wearing so much as a shirt absolute hell; which is obviously why one red haired lawyer is busy sipping coffee at in outdoor cafe in a three piece suit. Sweat trickled down the sharp spikes he had pulled back earlier, his bright green eyes currently dull as he listened to his wife chat animatedly on the other end of the phone. Finally he finished his coffee and tossed the Styrofoam cup into a nearby wastebasket before heading across the street to his parked car, so jaded he did not notice the pale teen going in the opposite direction as they passed on the crosswalk.

The boy didn't see him either, too preoccupied with his friends on either side of him arguing over when to work on a project as they neared the Nobody Cafe. All three had various shades of blue for eye color and two had blond hair, leaving the girl with choppy black hair the oddball out. Despite the fact they could all have passed for siblings none of them were related to the other; the blond girl who looked slightly washed out just bore a very similar resemblance to the boy with golden locks and the odd girl.

"Naminé," the oddball said as she addressed the washed out blond. "It would be easier to just do the assignment tonight rather than wait for the weekend."

"But Xion, what about Roxas? He needs to do something!" Naminé protested, turning to Roxas, who was trying to get the cafe's apron on.

"We'll clue him in on the walk home," Xion suggested, pleading.

"Oh...alright," Naminé finally relented and Roxas smiled. "But you owe us free coffee."

"Oh...alright," Roxas said, mimicking the girl. She glowered at him as he tied the apron on, sighing as he fumbled the knot. She motioned him to turn around and Xion washed in amusement as Naminé tied the apron in place correctly.

"Can you just kiss him before he heads to work and be done with it? I swear, when you two finally admit you're a couple I am throwing a party," Xion said snappishly and Naminé blushed before releasing Roxas.

"It's not like that," she said softly, smiling at Roxas slyly through her bangs. "Right Roxas?"

"I think I'd be getting laid if it was," Roxas teased, laughing as Naminé smacked his arm. Usually they were both far more reserved but when it was just Xion and them the facade fell away. They each gave him a peck on the cheek before he went about his job, cleaning tables up and bringing coffee to others as the sunset and the streetlights came on. When Roxas' shift finished he brought them each a cup before sitting down with his own, head resting on Naminé's shoulder as he edited the group paper they had written in his absence so he could claim contribution of some sort. By the time they had everything fixed and were ready to leave the blond boy was ready to collapse. Going to school then work and doing his homework somewhere in between was killing him.

"Are you okay?" Xion asked when he yawned for the fifth time in a row as they waited for the bus. He looked down at her with a lazy smile and lied as always.

"Of course."

Naminé's fingers twitched from their place twinned in between his and she tensed, wishing the bus would arrive soon so Roxas could go home and sleep. Then he let her go and she stared in surprise as he started back towards the cafe.

"Roxas? Roxas!" She called and he hesitated as the bus appeared before smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry Naminé, I'll catch the next one. I forget to grab my backpack," Roxas called and Naminé watched with Xion as he left them standing there.

"Still not okay," Xion stated nonchalantly, sighing. "Maybe we should find him a guy."

"I thought you were under the impression there was something between me and him," Naminé said and Xion raised her eyebrow.

"We all know that's an ongoing joke-he wears eyeliner for Christ's sake Naminé. He checks guys out in the hall. He _squeals _over clothes sales. I maybe a ditz at times but I am not stupid," Xion said and Naminé rolled her eyes.

"And here I thought..." She said, letting her sentence trail off. Xion poked her in the side, trying to look offended by that statement.

"I do hope Roxas is alright though," she whispered before they boarded the bus, knowing Naminé was thinking the same thing.

XxXxX

Roxas found his bag where he had left it and was grateful to discover that nothing had been stolen. He was heading back to the bus when he bumped into someone and fell to the ground, taking the man, his bag and the guy's briefcase with. They both hurried to disentangle themselves, a blush working it's way over Roxas' cheeks as he got up and saw whom he had bumped into. He was sure he would have continued to stand there staring with a dropped jaw if he hadn't abruptly been dragged out of the street by a hand on his elbow, horns honking behind him as he was led like a lamb to the cafe once more.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry, I wasn't looking..." the man said and Roxas looked down.

"I'm fine," he mumbled, face still warm with embarrassment. "And it was partially my fault too. Um...are you okay?"

"Fine," the man responded, sounding rather preoccupied. He grabbed Roxas' chin and forced him to meet his eyes, probably to make sure Roxas really was okay but he froze when his lively green eyes met Roxas' own dancing blue orbs.

"I'm Roxas," he told the man, loving the tattoos under the man's eyes. Black upside down teardrops. They kind of reminded him of court jesters that entertained the royalty. "Roxas Hale."

"Axel Cross," the redhead said and Roxas smiled. A name as odd as the hair and the eyes. He liked this man; he wanted to learn more about him. And then a blonde woman appeared, looking tired and yet beautiful as she bent over Axel.

"Hun, are you okay?" She asked him, glancing curiously at Roxas. The boy saw no jealousy in her eyes, only a deep curiosity and amusement.

"This is Roxas, whom I have just had the pleasure of meeting. Roxas, this is my wife Larxene."

"Ahh," Roxas said, smiling at the woman and holding out his hand. The perfect man was straight. Of fucking course.

"Roxas, huh?" Larxene said as she shook his hand and he nodded, looking around for his bag as Larxene turned to Axel.

"It thought you left awhile ago."

"I did," Axel replied and Roxas tried not to listen in but with less than a foot between them he couldn't really avoid the man altogether. "I left my briefcase and Marluxia stashed it in the back."

Roxas started at his boss' name and Larxene grinned.

"You know Marluxia?" She asked and he nodded.

"He's my boss,' he expanded when he realized she was waiting for more of a response than the movement. Roxas was sure she would have responded with more but his cell phone rang and he jumped into the air before answering it. When he turned back to find Axel and Larxene he found them to gone. With a sigh he decided that was all for the best and hurried home, falling asleep almost immediately.

The next day at the cafe he was working the late shift and since it was quiet at the moment he was telling Marluxia about last night. He liked talking to the pink haired man who seemed to completely understand when he mentioned feeling attracted to Axel. Marluxia promised to arrange a real meeting sometime soon and even though the very idea made him blush he was grateful to his boss.

Two days later after work Axel was waiting at a table with a smile on his face and two coffees in hand.

"Nice to see you again under better circumstances Roxas," the redhead said and Roxas smiled.

"You too Mr. Cross...how have you been?"

"Well," Axel said, his eyes hungrily wracking up the blond's lithe form. Roxas wished the black shirt he wore wasn't so tight and that it didn't have colorful pictures of candy dotting it in ways that just seemed to lure Axel into looking at his chest. And his jeans were girl jeans. He resolved to never put himself in a situation that led him to borrowing Naminé's pants, no matter how well they fit him, as Axel continued to study him.

"How is Mrs. Cross?" Roxas asked politely and Axel smirked, gesturing for Roxas to take a seat as he said, "Fine, fine, Larxene never gets ill."

"Lucky her," Roxas said and his companion snorted.

"Not really, she abhors having so few excuses to get out of work. Having one's mother as one's boss is a bit of a stressor though," Axel said, pulling a carton of cigarettes out of his pocket. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Roxas said, deciding not to mention he himself smoked. That would led to the question of his age or his supplier and he really didn't want to screw his boss over like that.

"Marluxia said you wanted to see me again," Axel said slowly, taking a drag. "Now, I have to wonder why the hell some cute little kid who screams 'jailbait' wants my company. Planning on cluing me in?"

"I did _not _say I wanted to see you again, I said I-I thought you and Larxene seemed like an odd couple," Roxas muttered before adding in an even quieter voice, "I also mentioned you were eyeing me up."

"'Odd'," Axel repeated with a bitter laugh, taking another drag. "'Odd,' he says. Kid, you don't even know the half of it."

"Would you prefer peculiar?" Roxas asked, cheeks stained red.

"Larxene and I are in an arranged marriage Roxas. 'Peculiar' is the nice way of putting it," Axel said and Roxas almost smiled. _Almost. _

"Well, I am terribly sorry about that but I really must be going," Roxas said, deciding it would be bad if he learned anymore about this man than he already knew. "I hope you have a pleasant evening."

"Doubtful considering I planned on spending it with you," Axel said and Roxas froze, cursing in the back of his mind.

"I thought I was jailbait," Roxas said quietly, backing away. "And besides, I'm sure your wife is waiting at home for you."

"Actually, Larxene is planning on having Marluxia join her for dinner," Axel said pleasantly, slowly rising to his feet. "And then I'm sure he'll be staying the night."

"And that doesn't bother you?" Roxas asked as he hit a table, trapped by the stupid glass circle.

"Larxene and I have never even shared a bedroom, let alone a bed. That isn't what they do though. It's more of a way of letting me spend my nights somewhere else and Larxene not be lonely," Axel said with a hollow laugh, flicking his cigarette away as he gripped the edge of the table Roxas was trapped against. "And I could tell you were interested the other night...it isn't often I stumble upon someone like you Roxas."

"And what if the knowledge of your not so single status disinterested me?" Roxas inquired as Axel pressed fully against him.

"That is incredibly doubtful," he purred in Roxas' ear, taking the time to place a teasing nip on the lobe. "However if so, I'll head to my hotel room alone and spend my night remembering this meeting and relishing the thought that with a little persuasion...I can get you." As he spoke his fingers slid up Roxas' sides with a smile. Roxas gritted his teeth so he wouldn't lean into it.

"I'm sorry," he growled out. "But I am not consciously starting an affair with a married man I don't know shit about."

"What's your price?" Axel asked seriously, backing away to meet Roxas' suddenly surprised gaze.

"I _beg_ your pardon, did you just say-"

"Everyone has a price Roxas," Axel said, leering at him. "I just asked what yours was. Money? Sex? What is it your little heart desires? I'm sure I could find it for you." Axel laughed suddenly, a soft sensual chuckle that sent shivers up Roxas' spine. "Well, within reason. I'm afraid material wants are all I can provide."

"Anything material?" Roxas whispered, swallowing hard when Axel nodded, looking nonchalant at the request for confirmation. He shifted uncomfortably, wondering if his supposed morals would hold up against that. A hot rich man wanted to spend the evening with him at a hotel for any price he could name. Yeah, goodbye morals, you never were that useful. "Anything I could think up? For one night of me being your mistress?"

"Almost right," Axel said, tracing his clavicle. "I'm quite sorry to say I don't plan on this being a one-night deal. I'll give you anything you could possibly imagine for as long as you wish to maintain our little trysts."

Roxas hesitated, staring up into those hypnotic green eyes, wondering vaguely how stupid he was being for agreeing to this so readily.

"Works for me," Roxas said and with that he pushed himself on to tiptoes using the table and planted a light, teasing kiss on Axel's thin lips. "Where's your car?"

XxXxX

Axel swung by a fast food place on the way to the hotel and let Roxas order whatever happened to strike his fancy while he examined the choices. Once they had both ordered Axel drove on, refusing to listen to Roxas' complaints about how he couldn't possibly eat in such a nice car and shoving the boy's food in his hands.

'_Lamborghinis aren't meant for this kind of treatment,' _He thought with a slight wince as ketchup dribbled out of Axel's burger on to the seat.

"I would suggest eating now," Axel said as he slowed down upon approaching a stoplight. "Since once we get to the hotel food will be the last thing on your mind."

Roxas decided to say fuck the car brand and began eating his cheeseburger without another thought about the fact he was staining the seat. Once they reached the hotel, a shabby little thing in a whole other town that probably had a rodent infestation problem, Roxas followed Axel into the lobby, rocking back and forth on his heels as he listened to Axel procure a room under a pseudonym the hostess was obviously familiar with. It made him wonder how many other young boys Axel had taken to bed with the promise of anything they desired an exchange for crazy, debauched sex. Or at least Roxas assumed it was insane and depraved.

Before he knew it they were standing alone in the elevator, Axel humming along with the music while Roxas watched he lights steadily change until they stopped at the top floor. He followed Axel out into the hall, glancing at the tasteful yet detached paintings artfully placed along the walls. Roxas was startled when Axel stopped at the end of the hall and slid a key card through the lock, bemused about how they had reached this point so quick.

"Um, Axel?" He murmured as they removed their coats and shoes at the door, deciding to investigate certain things before delving much deeper into this mess. "Can I ask you a few questions before we...start?"

"I suppose," Axel said, taking a seat on the bed and gesturing for Roxas to do the same.

"Could I ask about your sexual history?" Roxas continued, standing in front of Axel rather than acknowledge the offer. He stared bemusedly at Axel when the redhead laughed at his question and waited patiently, shifting on his feet.

"I've fucked a few guys before," Axel said when he had finally calmed down. "All clean. You know, you're the only one to beat me to asking about that."

"I have no interest in contracting a STD," he said scornfully and Axel chuckled.

"Of course, of course. Though now...I have to ask about _your _sexual history," he purred and Roxas felt himself getting hot at the way Axel said the question.

"I've been with a few guys," he said simply, hesitantly straddling Axel's lap. He draped his arms around Axel's neck, moving to plant small kisses along his jaw before glancing up at Axel through his eyelashes. "Anymore questions?"

"How old are you?" Axel asked and he cringed, pulling away slightly. "Roxas?"

"I'm eighteen," he said firmly, moving to kiss Axel. The redhead pulled back, glaring at him through narrowed eyes.

"Liar."

"Don't tell the judge that," Roxas suggested, shoving Axel back and working his way over Axel's exposed throat. He knew Axel hesitated but he rolled his hips and with a groan Axel let it go, moving to grip his waist as he repeated the motion. After a few minutes Axel rolled them over and tugged Roxas' shirt off in one swift move, eyes sweeping over the bare upper body that lay willing beneath him. After a few seconds he began trailing his fingers slowly up Roxas' sides to tease his nipples, a smirk crawling up his lips when Roxas let out a soft, breathless moan.

"Well, somebody knows what they're like," Axel said, leaning forward to suck one of the tempting nubs into his mouth. He chuckled when he felt Roxas squirm, the blond's hips shifting against his in ways that made his spine arch ever so slightly.

"Oh, _Axel_," Roxas breathed out, tongue darting out to wet his lips. "Oh, that felt good. Do it again, _please._"

Axel almost groaned solely because of Roxas' words and the way he gasped them out. The boy was good and yet so bashful Axel wanted to rip their pants off and get to his favorite part right away but the thought of slowly toying with the boy aroused him more. With a snicker he went for Roxas' neck, biting and nipping as small fingers fumbled with his dress shirt, soft curses tearing themselves from his throat.

"You," Axel panted out when he finally moved away from Roxas' throat. "are far too tempting to be human."

"Look who's talking," Roxas managed, running trembling fingers down Axel's exposed chest before tugging the shirt the rest of the way off and carelessly tossing it to the ground. When he came back to explore the new expanse of skin available to him Axel pulled him into another kiss, a brief thing, before snaking his tongue into Roxas' mouth. A soft whimper escaped the teen and Axel grinned against his lips, pulling away to let Roxas breathe. "You are fucking insatiable, anyone ever tell you that?"

"No," Axel said simply, moving to rub the bulge between Roxas' legs. The blond let out a startled gasp, thighs spreading of their own accord as his hips bucked into Axel's teasing hand. He laughed softly to himself at how easy it was to make Roxas react to his touch, bending over to nip and lick his way down Roxas' chest to the waistband of his pants and back up, his hand never stopping its ministrations to Roxas' crotch.

"Axel," the teen whined , finally capturing his lover's wrist and pulling Axel's hand away. "If you aren't taking my pants off anytime soon, stop touching me there. It's torture."

"I know," Axel purred, licking the blond's cheek as he pressed a hand to Roxas' chest, sliding down to the button of his jeans and popping it open. "But if you insist on cutting the foreplay short..."

"Maybe next time," Roxas said, reaching down and undoing his zipper. "When I haven't been deprived for so long."

"'For so long?' When was the last time you had sex?"

Roxas smirked up at him, making Axel guess it wasn't all that long.

"About two weeks."

"Sexaholics Anonymous?" Taunted the redhead, spindly fingers pulling Roxas' pants and boxers off.

"The proper term is 'nymphomaniac' and no, I'm not one, it's just...the guy I usually sleep with has been a little too busy as of late. Which, you know, sort of sucks when I'm horny and want it. And sex is better than...well, I'm sure you can guess," Roxas said, trailing a hand down his bare upper body to his lower half. His fingers caressed his now exposed erection and he purred at the contact, looking up at Axel through lowered lashes.

"I can sympathize," Axel told him, batting his hand away to stroke Roxas himself. He loved how the lithe teen squirmed and writhed beneath him for it, gasping out mangled attempts at Axel's name. After a few minutes he began kissing Roxas' mouth again, hand still steadily stroking Roxas.

"Axel," Roxas choked out, jerking his head away and stopping the hand that was pleasuring his front. "You said we could skip the foreplay if I really wanted to ."

"Sorry," Axel said, lightly kissing Roxas' cheek. "It slipped my mind." He pulled away a little more, searching Roxas' eyes curiously. "Do you want to help me finish undressing?"

Roxas smiled, blushing slightly at Axel's word choice, and nodded as he reached out for Axel. He managed to remove the rest of Axel's clothes and took the opportunity to study Axel's slender body. His rich lover had a few more tattoos beneath his clothes that made Roxas' wonder how many his parents knew of.

'_They definitely don't know about that one!'_ Roxas thought as he stared at the odd cross on Axel's hip that resembled a cursive t more than anything. Shredded wings were half folded protectively in front of it, even though it was on fire. With cautious fingers he traced it, watching Axel's expression. The redhead laughed before butting Roxas' ear with his nose.

"My name _is _Cross. And I thought you wanted to get past the teasing," Axel said, searching the nightstand for the lotion. Roxas bit his lip, suddenly feeling uneasy. He had wanted this to be as detached as possible but seeing Axel so willing to humor him...he leaned in and kissed the redhead on the lips again, fingers tangling in Axel's hair. He felt more than heard a surprised grunt before a hungry tongue pried his lips apart and began to assault his mouth once more. He arched into Axel's hands now wandering over his chest, moaning when his nipples were toyed with again. Axel pulled away slightly, studying his face before moving down to his neck and sucking on a patch of skin that begged for attention. He jumped slightly when Roxas rolled his hips into Axel's, the redhead's pupils dilating at the contact.

"Holy fuck," he hissed and Roxas repeated the motion, taking the opportunity to place kisses along Axel's throat along with a few well-placed licks to see how long it took the man to break.

"Axel," he purred seductively, pressing himself fully against Axel. He lowered his voice so that even if someone had been right next to them in the empty room, only Axel would have heard it. "I want to know how you feel inside me. Because it's making me _so_ horny to feel your hard cock against mine." Roxas wrapped his fingers around Axel's cock, pumping slowly as he stared up into wide green eyes before speaking again. "Would you please fuck me?"

Axel wasn't quite sure if it was the prefect, proper way Roxas said that sentence or the words themselves but he grabbed Roxas' wrists and slammed them into the mattress on either side of the boy's head, kissing him roughly. Roxas mewled, arching against Axel until his bottom lip was nipped and he gasped. He received one last gentle kiss on his wet, swollen lips before Axel traveled downward and gave his dick a light lick. Roxas' hips bucked upward and he shouted in surprise, his eyes sliding shut as Axel's mouth closed around him. He was gasping and clawing at the sheets as Axel slowly moved his head, sucking on Roxas' cock hard. He finally pulled away to make Roxas let go of the cloth beneath his fingers, gripping the blond's wrists as Roxas tried to touch himself when he realized Axel wasn't continuing.

"Axel!" He whined, giving the redhead such a forlorn look that Axel almost laughed. "I want you to keep going. Why'd you stop?"

"I want you to hold on to _me_," Axel explained, wrapping the teen's arms around his neck. "Not the blankets." He kissed Roxas briefly, ignoring the blush returning to his lover's cheeks with a vengeance. "Do you want me to go back to sucking you off?" Roxas looked torn between shock and pleasure at Axel's blasé expression and casual phrasing, settling on nodding after receiving another quick kiss. He felt Axel slid back down his body, leaving teasing nips and licks as he made his way downward, his hands pressing his hips down when Roxas thrust upwards. His mouth returned to its previous location, Axel sucking on the head before taking more of the blond's erection in his mouth. Roxas whimpered at the friction and tangled his fingers in Axel's thick mane, tugging on the surprisingly soft strands as Axel bobbed his head. His breath was coming in sharp pants and his bangs were plastered to his forehead by the sweat that threatened to run into his eyes as Axel groaned, the vibrations wrecking hell on Roxas' control. A second moan from Axel was all it took to have Roxas arching off the bed cursing and crying Axel's name in a high pitched keen as he came hard in the tall man's mouth.

"Axel?" Roxas called shakily slumping back down, his hands quivering as he tried to untangle his fingers from Axel's hair. The redhead helped as he laughed, sitting back to admire the hazy blond.

"Now _that_," Axel said, kissing up Roxas' neck to press his lips to the younger boy's ear. "Was deliciously arousing. You look so fuckable when you come."

"Thanks," Roxas said in a quiet whisper, face steadily coloring. After a few seconds he turned to meet Axel's eyes with curiosity in his own. "Did you want...me to do you?"

"Do you want to?" Axel asked, obviously surprised by the question.

"Kinda?" Roxas said, not really sure he did. Axel must have experience and he would just be humiliating himself...but it had felt so good and he wondered if the redhead enjoyed having oral sex performed on _him _as much as he obviously liked doing it. Roxas was unused to receiving a blow job and even more unfamiliar with giving them. This was the first time in a long time he had fucked someone who was coherent enough

"Then no," Axel said, kissing the tip of Roxas' nose. "At least for this time that is."

"Okay," Roxas said, smiling and wrapping his arms around the man's neck, pausing as he waited for Axel to start working him up again. Instead he was thoroughly kissed, his back pressing hard against the mattress until Axel had to pull away panting, leaving Roxas gasping for air and longing for more. The redhead extended an arm to the nightstand to grope for the little bottle of lotion, Roxas lying beneath him trying to catch his breath. When Axel finally located and opened it he was annoyed to find that he couldn't get very much lotion out. Roxas shifted and sat up, kissing Axel's neck while he cursed at the lotion bottle. Two tense minutes of increasingly vulgar swears directed at the relatively innocent little bottle later Roxas relieved Axel of it and unscrewed the cap before returning it. He fell back again, spreading his legs and stretching his arms over his head enticingly, causing Axel to completely forget what he had been doing and simply stare at the younger boy who in turn leered at him.

"Planning on fucking me any time soon?" Roxas inquired, reaching out and pulling Axel back down to him by the shoulders. That seemed to jolt Axel out of his trance and he started coating his fingers in the heavily perfumed lotion, dropping the little bottle back to the bed when he was finished. Roxas compliantly raised his hips, shuddering when Axel spread his legs just a little further so he could really get between them. He rewound Axel's hair around his fingers when the redhead slipped a finger in, arching off the bed ever so slightly. Axel was good, knew when to thrust his fingers in and out of Roxas in a parody of what was to come, knew when to add another and he knew exactly when to pull his fingers out and hunt around for the discarded lotion. Roxas found it first and poured some on to his own hand while Axel continued to search around them for it. With a small smirk he grabbed his lover's dick and slowly began to stroke, giggling when Axel choked on his own saliva and glanced down at Roxas' small hand wrapped firmly around his erection.

"How often..._shit_...have you done..._fuck_...this?" Axel ground out when Roxas twisted his hand in all kinds of different ways that were making Axel writhe.

"Not as often as you think," Roxas said casually, rubbing his thumb in small circles over the slit and causing Axel to buck his hips. "I just know what feels good." With that he removed his hand and lay back down, smiling seductively up at the rich man above him. "And I know what I like to feel. Like right now. I want to feel you inside me."

"Then that's what you'll feel," Axel said, lifting Roxas' slim hips and shifting so that his cock was pressed against Roxas' entrance. He eased in, watching Roxas' face curiously as the blond hissed, pulling Axel's hair hard as he tried to calm down when the man was all the way in. After a few seconds he weakly thrust up, groaning when Axel slid almost fully out and slammed back. He continued on in that pattern, Roxas screaming his name with desperate please for more harder and faster. Axel couldn't help but love the expressions that crossed Roxas' face with every thrust, watching those unfathomably blue eyes grow wide when he hit his sweet spot and arched ridiculously high of the bed, eyes screwed shut and mouth open to pant helplessly when Axel was alternating between quick, shallow thrusts and deep slow ones. Somewhere in there his hand wandered down to wrap around Roxas' returned erection and pump in time with his thrusts, eyes studying Roxas' lust clouded ones with intrigue. Roxas came crying his name once more and he followed breathing the name of the little blond beneath him softly in Roxas' ear.

"How was that? Earn my pay?" Roxas asked, wishing he didn't feel quite so much like a hooker as he did.

"You were wonderful," Axel said, kissing him gently and wrapping his arms around Roxas. Roxas hesitantly snuggled back, feeling warm and safe in Axel's lanky arms.

'_Ridiculous,' _he thought. _'I don't even know him. He doesn't make me feel safe. He __**doesn't**__.'_

"So...how many days...are we doing this?" Roxas asked, sitting up slightly and looking for something to cover his body with as he ignored the pain that nearly forced him back down. He did not want to fall asleep beside Axel naked.

"A few days a week...what on earth are you doing?" Axel asked, sitting up as well when it became apparent Roxas wasn't rejoining him anytime soon.

"Looking for clothes, isn't it obvious? I said I would have sex with you, which I did. I did not say I would snuggle you naked," Roxas snapped and got up to hunt for his jeans at the very least. He nearly fell back down; he was not used to someone as...large...as Axel and it had been awhile.

"Really?" Axel said, leering at the blond as he limped around.

"Really!" Roxas said, finally locating his jeans near the door. He didn't ask how they had gotten so far from the bed and slid them back on, trying to ignore the shooting pain in his ass as he did. Axel watched all this with something akin to amusement to Roxas' annoyance, a smirk on his lips as the blond limped back to the bed and fell back. "Stop laughing!"

"I'm not," Axel said, eyes studying Roxas' still bare chest in a way that made Roxas want to get up and find his shirt. Then he swung his legs around and went to a dresser, pulling a pair of pajama bottoms out.

"You have your own clothes here?" Roxas said incredulously and Axel smirked.

"Of course I do," he said as he tucked them on. Roxas stared the entire time, swallowing hard as he noted the tattoo on Axel's back that covered nearly all of his skin. He couldn't really see it due to the fact Axel was across the dark room but the ink was evident against such pale skin. "I have this room rented out under my name."

"You can afford to have a room rented out?" Roxas said and Axel smirked as he slinked back to the bed., climbing in next to Roxas.

"This is a cheap hotel." True. "And I wasn't kidding when I told you could have anything you wanted Roxas," Axel said seductively, eyes examining Roxas in a way that made the blond feel as though the cheap comment had been about him rather than the hotel. And he did not like being looked at like that. He'd had enough of that before this.

"Don't look at me like that," Roxas hissed, narrowing his eyes to see Axel's face in the dark room.

"Why not?" Axel inquired and Roxas gave him a grim smile.

"Because if you want me to play nice you need to stop fucking looking at me like a cheap whore you picked up off the corner. Because even if I am a whore, you did not pick me up at the fucking corner," Roxas hissed and with that he shoved Axel down and straddled his hips.

"All right," Axel said, expression softening when he saw how much it was bothering the blond. He brought him down for a kiss with a hand on the back of his neck and even though Roxas desperately wanted to protest, he didn't. He just gripped Axel's shoulders and let his mouth be pried open, hoping no one would miss him tonight when he didn't come home. A little sob in the back of his throat was muffled by his lover's lips. No one would miss him. No one would realize he wasn't home.

XxXxX

A month later found Roxas sitting at the Nobody Cafe with Naminé and her older sister Kairi, who was visiting during her college break and currently poking the blond girl with a straw. He ached from head to toe after the previous night when he had come out from work to find Axel waiting with coffee and a grin. His ass throbbed whenever he so much as shifted in his seat and it was driving him up the wall but it had been so good to be fucked like that. Axel hadn't stuck to just the bed this time, had dragged him into the shower, into the chair in front of the TV, on the floor (his back and knees had such horrible rug burn he was sleeping on his stomach. Axel had kept flipping him over) and then up against the wall. Roxas had begun to think Axel never got tired when they fell into the bed for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Your pants are over there," Axel had said, pointing to the chair and Roxas had almost cried at the thought of moving but upon seeing Axel's smug expression he had pulled himself up and went to get them. He had pulled the article of clothing on sharply and retrieved his shirt from the back of the TV, covering his chest. Axel had looked faintly annoyed at that but didn't say anything when Roxas brought him a pair of pajama bottoms. The redhead had continued to look upset until a hand had slid past his only garment to wrap around his cock and begun stroking very lightly. Roxas had given him a coy little smile, kissed him on the mouth before removing his hand and lying with his back to Axel on the other end of the bed.

Naminé had been worried when he showed up to school an hour late, dark circles under his eyes and darker blemishes tracing a path up his neck. No one had asked him about it but he knew his ex boyfriend had interrogated Naminé and Xion had not been able to help letting her eyes wander down his neck when he spoke. He wanted to tell them where he was every time they called and he didn't pick up, every night Naminé stopped by his house to check on him and he wasn't home but his brother Sora was. He hated knowing she had to sit and talk with him for awhile before she could escape. He hated her knowing why she could not go inside when Sora had friends over. He hated her knowing but he loved her obeying the request. He loved knowing Naminé was in her bed, safe and sound, on the nights she wanted to come over.

"Okay," Kairi finally said, turning to look at Roxas with those kind blue eyes so much like Naminé's. Roxas wanted to wince when Kairi gave him that look. It was the look she had given Sora right before he broke up with her. It was the look she had given Roxas when she found out his brother wasn't going to college like her and their best friend Riku. It was the a shadow of the horrified look she had given Riku when he told her he was dropping out. It was a look Roxas had come to associate with the revelation of bad news to Kairi.

"Okay?" He repeated, deciding to play dumb in case she was trying to get him to confess where he was those nights her sister called her and told her that 'Roxas wasn't home.'

"Okay, where is it you disappear to these days?" Kairi said bluntly, her elbow resting on the table as she cupped her chin.

"No where," Roxas said with an innocent smile. Kairi turned to her younger sister, watching Naminé sketch Marluxia as he watered the flowers.

"Roxas don't lie to me. Naminé, don't check out Roxas' boss."

"I'm not," the pair of blond's protested in chorus and blushed. Kairi pulled her reddish brown hair into a ponytail as they spoke, waiting until they were done to speak.

"Roxas, you would come to the door if you were home; you hate Naminé being anywhere near Sora," Kairi said, the 'with good reason' left unsaid. She turned to Naminé with a frown now. "And _you _are most definitely checking Roxas' boss out! You're blatantly staring at him and you never do that."

"I think I liked you better at college," Naminé mumbled and Kairi smiled slightly. Roxas grinned at the exchange, jumping when his phone went off. Both girls turned to give him startled looks and answered the phone sheepishly.

"Hello?"

"Roxas, can you come home? I-I...I don't remember, but I need you to come home," the voice said and Roxas shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I'll be home in a few minutes Sora. Sit tight, okay?" Roxas said and Kairi looked away. Roxas still saw the ache in her eyes as he hung up. "I'm sorry guys...but it may actually be important. Will you two be okay getting home?"

"I'll drive you," Kairi said, getting up. "Come on Naminé."

"But Kairi-"

"It's just a drive Roxas," the older girl said. "I used to make it everyday."

Neither voiced aloud the reason she had.

The drive was short and neither Kairi nor Naminé came up with him. The blond girl kissed his cheek and Kairi had watched with sad eyes as he got out of the car with a quick 'thanks for the ride Kairi'. He walked into the apartment alone and went to the stairs, knowing from previous attempts earlier in the day that the elevator was broken again. He was on the seventh floor when he heard it, sighing as he went up the last flight of stairs. Outside of the thirteenth apartment sat a brunette and a boy with silver hair, the former giggling hysterical while the latter smoked whatever they had managed to get their hands on this time. Roxas desperately hoped it was just pot. He hated it when Sora and Riku got stronger stuff or, worse yet, the laced shit. Because with the laced stuff they seemed calm and then came the explosion Roxas constantly dreaded that left him either locked in his bedroom all night if he was lucky or on the couch in the middle of a party if he was unlucky. More often than not Roxas was lucky and he was thankful for it.

"Did you lock yourselves out again?" He asked and Riku looked up at him, being the more coherent of the two as usual.

"Yes," the silveret said in a soft purr before dragging Roxas down into his lap. "We got lonely though too. Why did it take you so long to get home Roxie?"

Roxas almost groaned out loud. He never knew precisely what mix it was but when Riku took some drug or another he could not keep his hands off Roxas and the blond hated it. He didn't like Riku, he especially didn't like living with the bastard and he was quite fed up with all the fucking shit that came with pretty boy. Instead of mentioning all this he simply rolled out Riku's grasp and on to his feet so he could unlock the door. It was a simple procedure but it was one he knew reflexively now and he hated that fact.

"No reason, now get inside before people see you two!" Roxas said, knowing how little that mattered. He had a meth lab to the right of him and two stoners to the left who occasionally dropped in unannounced to smoke with Riku and Sora. The only people who would care were the couple across the hall, one a professor at the university and the other a relatively good musician who wrote jingles for commercials and shows. If Sora and Riku were having a particularly bad evening Roxas had a spare key and neither occupant was ever surprised to wake up and find the blond passed out on the couch. Zexion would simply tell him the shower was open and Demyx would announce he was about to make breakfast; what did Roxas want?

"Vexen is coming over later," Riku told him as he crawled inside. Roxas nearly kicked him for that statement. Vexen, aka the meth lab technician, was Roxas' least favorite druggie when high. He had a faint idea that it had something to do with the fact that at Riku's first party the bastard had taken advantage of the him when he had stupidly gotten drunk and the older man high as a kite.

"Good for him, I'll be at Zexion and Demyx's," Roxas said and Sora turned too bright eyes on him.

"But Roxie, Mommy wanted you to visit her. You've been promising for ages and you never go," Sora said, swaying slightly. Roxas wanted to slap him.

'_I go every fucking Friday I'm not getting fucked by a sadistic lunatic with stamina so you and the fucking freeloader can eat and so that I can keep paying for my fucking cell phone and so that our mother at least dies comfortably and without the knowledge that one of us is a high school drop out druggie and the other turns tricks for some rich guy who can't get off for his fucking wife because he wants a fucking dick in the fucking equation...'_

The door opened and a man with dirty blond hair entered, looking for Roxas. Vexen smiled like the fucking Cheshire Cat when he saw Roxas was only in the kitchen before walking over. Roxas hated how no one ever complained about the fact the bastard never knocked except him but as Vexen came closer he felt a little relief. He hadn't consumed any of his products yet; Vexen's poison was crack and he was a raving bitch on it. Roxas had a scar on his arm from one of the times he had stumbled over to check on Vexen after a resounding explosion had shook the floor. A very high Vexen had wound up cutting his arm open before panicking and making Roxas sit down while he tried to stop the bleeding, kissing Roxas every time he thought the blond was about to get up. It was a good distraction since Vexen's ice cold kisses threw Roxas off every time and he was already hazy with blood loss. It was the first time out of eleven that he not only knew why he was over there but he wasn't naked and waking up with Vexen's frigid arms encircling him.

One might wonder why Roxas had bothered to check at all since it has been mentioned that Vexen was his least favorite druggie high. Out of all the druggies, Vexen was also the one he was fondest of because he never gave Sora any of his products and he never spiked Roxas' drinks like Riku, even though he could do so with more ease than the silveret. He was also Roxas' refuge when Riku flew off the handle, Zexion and Demyx weren't home and his key was unreachable at the moment, which happened a lot more than Roxas liked. So as much as Roxas hated Vexen high he preferred him to the other assholes that consumed drugs and even liked him on occasion.

"Hey Roxas," Vexen said, kissing his cheek. "Going to Zexion and Demyx's?"

"Maybe," Roxas said, relaxing. It was one of Vexen's better nights. Under normal circumstances these were the nights Roxas had no problem climbing into bed with the blond man and waking up to him doing Roxas' chemistry homework. However under normal circumstances he didn't ache in every place he moved and he wasn't desperate for sleep. "More than likely."

Vexen looked bewildered since Roxas would usually suggest they head over to his place and Roxas looked down at he floor.

"Can we talk about this outside?"

"Of course," Vexen said, following him into the hall and over to the stairs, where they sat down. It was Roxas' favorite place and he loved curling up on the stairs with Vexen, sitting on the stair below so he was leaning against Vexen's chest and those cold arms around him. He absolutely loved sex with Vexen in the summer; the man seemed permanently stuck at a degree colder than most humans and rarely heated up. Today they sat with Roxas on the top step and Vexen two down so they were eye level.

"I can't go over tonight," Roxas said without preamble and Vexen raised an eyebrow.

"Was that it? Roxas that hardly necessitates us coming out here; Riku and Sora know somewhere in the back of their addled brains where you are," Vexen said condescendingly and Roxas scowled at his tone of voice. Vexen winced and muttered something to the effect of an apology so Roxas dropped the matter.

"No, the reason I dragged you out here...Vexen, I'm getting paid to sleep with this guy-"

Vexen snorted and Roxas glowered, making the man shrug.

"It just doesn't seem like you Roxas," he explained.

"I know _that_," Roxas said in a low voice. "If it wasn't as much as it is I wouldn't even be doing it but he's been paying me more than I make in a year at the cafe for one night of bending me in every way he can imagine. And I see him a couple times a week."

"For how long?" Vexen asked and Roxas grimaced. He always knew Vexen was much smarted than he let on; very few people would have thought to ask _him _that and expect an answer.

"About a month. He's a friend of Marluxia-"

"The pink haired twit?"

"Yes," Roxas said with a roll of his eyes; Vexen and Marluxia got along like he and Riku. Except Vexen never came on to Marluxia, even though there were times Roxas wondered if he wanted to when the blond man picked him up from work on days he couldn't catch the bus or when Marluxia dropped Roxas off and walked him to his apartment.

"Why tell me?" Vexen asked and Roxas smiled at him the way Vexen usually liked, when Roxas was being slutty and would show up in his apartment wearing a too short skirt and a skin tight top, begging to be fucked. Those were the times Vexen knew Roxas' mother was getting worse; the younger blond took all his frustration at his helplessness out during sex.

"Because I need you and Zexion to tell me everything you guys know about Axel and Larxene Cross," Roxas said, pausing when he saw Vexen's expression. "What?"

"Axel's gay?"

"I would assume so," Roxas said with a frown and Vexen buried his face in his hands to muffle his laughter, leaving Roxas to sit and wait patiently for him to finish. "I'm not even going to ask why this is so amusing considering that I _highly _doubt you are straight."

"It's just its _Axel_," Vexen said, shaking slightly. He calmed down enough to speak clearly and rather than do so he stood, bringing Roxas with him. The older man dragged Roxas by the wrist back down the hall to Zexion and Demyx's, knocking once before opening the door. Roxas hated that practice but Vexen had known Zexion forever so it never really bothered the slate haired man or his boyfriend to have the drug dealer randomly pop in. Zexion must have just gotten home because he was still in his suit and there was a stack of papers next to his briefcase on the table. Demyx sat cross-legged at his keyboard, looking rather disinterested in the whole thing. His face lit up when he saw Roxas and Vexen standing in the foyer and leapt out of his seat to envelope Roxas in a familiar bone crushing hug.

"Roxie! You came by!" Demyx gushed and then turned to pounce on Vexen. "And Vexy-kins is with you! And-holy fuck, you're sober."

"Demyx," Zexion said exasperatedly, getting up to join them. Roxas wanted to smile. Zexion hated when his boyfriend cursed; he always complained it was a bad habit he had picked up from their friend Xigbar who would sometimes stop by for dinner. Roxas liked Xigbar's stories; he had worked as a professional hit man back in the day and was now a biochemistry teacher with an eye patch accompanied by a scar as a reminder of his previous line of work.

"Yes Demyx, I'm not on anything right now," Vexen confirmed, rolling his eyes. Demyx didn't like Vexen high anymore than Roxas but it was for entirely different reasons that Roxas had never thought to inquire about. There were some things you just didn't ask about. "I was intending to spend this evening with Roxas but he's not feeling so well right now."

"Ahh," Demyx said, bending over and pressing the back of his hand against Roxas' forehead. "Does Roxie have a fever?"

"No," Roxas said. "Vexen's referring to the fact that Roxie got fucked against every available surface by someone and now aches all over."

Demyx glared at Vexen who held his hands up innocently.

"It wasn't me," the older blond said smugly. "It was Axel Cross. Apparently he's paying Roxas very well for a few nights of his week."

"Hold it," Zexion said, holding a hand up. "Axel Cross, as in the guy who blew up the science lab back when I was in college? Wasn't he in your Chem class? I thought he married that Larxene girl."

"You do know him?" Roxas implored, feeling hopeful. He had suspected they might know the redhead; there were precious few schools nearby and Axel had once let slip that he had attended one in town. Vexen had worked at the local university Zexion was currently employed at but had been fired for some reason Roxas had never learned the details of but had a theory that it involved the drugs he was producing now.

"He was in our class," Demyx said, smiling. "Him, Larxene and Marluxia. I really liked him; he was nice. But we never hung out. His parents were really controlling and they only let him hang out with those two. He comes from a really old money family like Larxene and Marluxia is just stinking rich."

"Which is why the asshole is so generous in coughing up cash every time I see him?" Roxas asked and Zexion frowned.

"Is it really that generous of an amount he gives you Roxas?"

Roxas told them. Zexion's visible eye went wide, Vexen looked on the verge of passing out despite already having a vague idea of the amount and Demyx fainted. After they had revived Demyx and had moved to the couch Roxas told them about his and Axel's first meeting, along with the results.

"First things first," Demyx said and tugged Roxas to his feet. "I am going to draw you a bath to ease a bit of that pain. Zexion and Vexen will ask around to gather as much on Axel as they can and I will make dinner."

"Roxas?" Zexion called as Demyx started leading him to the bathroom, both blonds pausing to look at him. "Why are you so curious about Axel's past?"

"Because I want to know more about the guy who spends half his week finding new positions to put me in rather than sit at home with his wife, who coincidentally spends those days with Marluxia," Roxas said and Demyx went ahead of him to start the bath. Vexen frowned at the add in and Roxas continued. "I don't know if they're lovers. Axel hinted at that but he hints at a lot of things that are probably false."

"We'll get started," Zexion said, grabbing his laptop. Vexen looked a little lost and Roxas went back to him, wrapping his arms around Vexen's shoulders. His chin rested on the older man's head as he leaned against Roxas' chest for a few minutes before Demyx called Roxas into the bathroom. He disentangled himself from Vexen and slipped inside the bathroom, which he was quite familiar with. On days he woke up on time he took a shower at Zexion and Demyx's rather than at his place due to the fact that the bathroom looked like a breeding ground for a new species of fungus.

"It's really hot," Demyx warned. "But that's important. When it starts to get cold come out. And don't cuddle Vexen unless you wrap up in a blanket."

"Thanks Demyx," Roxas said, undressing and slipping in once the blond boy left him. He hissed the second his skin made contact with the steaming water but he knew it would let him relax and that was far too important at the moment to him. He took the time to examine the bruises he had accumulated and wanted to drown himself. Riku had shoved him into the doorframe the other day when he had come home from work and the silveret was high on heroin. The result had been Roxas having bruises that covered his side and legs, which had to be added to the numerous painful bite marks Axel left him with every night they were together. Although, if he was being honest with himself, he did like Axel leaving him with something more than a wad of cash that dwarfed his paycheck, a whispered reminder not to tell the pretty blond girl Axel had seen him with and a light kiss that always made Roxas want to cry. It was so tender and so fucking intimate he would fall into it no matter how angry at Axel he was. Because for those few seconds he could delude himself into believing they were more than a rich man and his underage mistress. And Roxas desperately wanted to mean something to someone.

When the water finally got cooler he got out and dried himself, pulling the pajamas Demyx had left him on. He could tell they were Zexion's; while both men were similarly sized in height, Zexion was the slighter of the two and his clothes fit better. Demyx's fit him but not as well and he liked clothes similar to what Zexion had wore in high school and still occasionally wore on weekends. Vexen's clothes fit him like Riku's clothes did; horrible. Back when Riku had been drug free Roxas had liked him and loved stealing his shirts because they smelled like the older boy. After Riku started doing drugs he had been less affectionate and more lewd in his touches towards Roxas, who would tell himself he didn't care when Riku fucked him.

He had only been fourteen the first time.

"Guys?" He called as he opened the bathroom door, glad to find the trio close by. He felt tired and he wanted to curl up with Vexen but he didn't see a blanket to wrap around himself so instead he sat by the blond man. Demyx studied him for a minute before getting up and heading into the hall, coming back with a thick afghan in hand. He draped it around Roxas shoulders before sitting next to Zexion again, watching Roxas envelope himself in the blanket and climb into Vexen's lap.

"So we could tell you nearly everything about Axel, Larxene and Marluxia. We didn't know if you wanted information on the last two but it was precautionary so we don't have to call everyone we know again," Zexion said and Roxas nodded sleepily.

"How old is he? How long has he been married to Larxene? And...do they have kids?" Roxas asked quietly and Zexion shifted so he was sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Axel turned twenty-five in February, he's been married for two years. They have no children," Zexion said and Vexen wrapped his arms around Roxas, adding to what Zexion had just told him.

"He works at the largest law firm in town, run by his mother. His father is the district attorney. Larxene is employed by her mother as well as director of the Hollow Bastion Hospital. Her father is a stockbroker," Vexen said and Roxas bit his lip. The jobs weren't surprising; Larxene had seemed so well put together and organized the one time they had met and Axel had no problem beating him in arguments. The ages though...Larxene and Axel had been married for five years. Axel was eight years older than him...not so bad all things considered, Vexen was a little over twice his age...and it was a relief to know that they didn't have any kids.

"He's a lot older than you," Demyx said, voicing his thoughts.

"Vexen's thirty-six," Roxas countered distractedly. "And I'll be eighteen in August."

"Which I am celebrating," Vexen muttered, squeezing his waist. Roxas elbowed him before he turned curious eyes on Zexion, who waited for more questions.

"So...can you confirm he and Larxene are in an arranged marriage?"

"Yes," Zexion said and Demyx snorted.

"That's an understatement. He blew up the lab, got tattoos on his face and got caught in bed with some freshman the day they announced it," the musician said. "Axel was livid. And Larxene...she was hysterical about something, but no one ever really learned what. If you get a chance, could you ask her for me?"

"If I get a chance," Roxas said and Demyx beamed at him. He had only seen the blond woman once but he was sure Marluxia would help him find her. He knew he could always simply ask his boss but he sensed that whatever it was was a deeply private matter and he wasn't asking anyone but the woman herself. Roxas had gained a lot of respect for Larxene in the past month that was rapidly growing as the minutes passed. She wasn't someone to be taken lightly but she was just a person and Roxas had learned from an early age that everyone was flawed in someway.

"I'm just curious to find out if Marluxia is really with her," Vexen mumbled and Zexion smirked.

"Why Vexen I never would have pegged you as the type to gain an..._attraction_ for the...what is it you call him? The 'pink haired twit,' isn't it?"

"It isn't attraction," Vexen said and Roxas snuggled against him sleepily. "It's a simple amusement that a man with _pink _hair is more interested in women than...well, who really dyes their hair pink?"

"Actually, it's natural," Roxas mumbled, feeling toasty in his cocoon.

"How do you know?" Demyx asked, looking vaguely curious. Roxas smirked sleepily.

"Marluxia was changing in his office one day."

"And?"

"He didn't put up a sign stating that he wasn't decent-" Roxas said innocently and Vexen snorted.

"He's _never _decent," the drug dealer said and Roxas elbowed him.

"_And_," he continued. "We all have to tell him when we're leaving. We never think twice about walking into his office. And I was the last one there."

"Okay," Demyx said slowly, sounding a little disturbed. "Why were you there so long and why was he standing naked in his office?"

"He wasn't naked," Roxas corrected. "He was pants-less. He was in a rush that morning. And I was there so late because I was waiting for Axel. Who laughed when I told him about it."

"How do you know he was in a rush that morning?" Zexion inquired as Demyx got up to go check on dinner.

"Very awkward after conversation," Roxas said by way of explanation before tugging on Vexen's arm. "Can you let me go? I want to lay down somewhere."

"Sure," Vexen said and Roxas crawled out of his arms and to the couch, dragging himself onto it. When Demyx came back five minutes later to announce dinner was ready Roxas was fast asleep and he looked so peaceful no one was keen on waking him up.

XxXxX

Roxas' cell phone was ringing.

He wasn't quite awake but he was aware enough to know that his cell phone was singing an obnoxious tune. With a moan of displeasure he groped around him for his coat before remembering he was at someone else's house and sat up, looking around. Demyx had folded his clothes and left them on the other end of the couch with his cell phone, wallet and scribbled note from Naminé on top of the pile. Cursing whoever had the audacity to call at such an indecent hour (it was noon according to the clock) he reached across the couch and picked his cell phone up, answering with what he thought was a well deserved, disgruntled, "Hello?"

"Is that anyway to answer your beloved?" Axel asked him and he wished like hell he had Jedi powers so he could strangle the bastard through the phone.

"What the fuck do you want? It's _Friday_," Roxas reminded him in a warning tone. Friday was the one day he had demanded Axel not ask anything of him after that first night and the request had been met.

"I realize that. Hence why I am calling in the middle of the day...speaking of which, shouldn't you be at school?"

"Shouldn't you be giving morons legal advice?" Roxas countered and Axel went quiet. "What?"

"How did you know I give people legal advice?" The redhead asked and Roxas guilty toyed with a piece of hair.

"Well, um, I got a little curious about you-"

"Who told you? Did you tell your little friend?" Axel asked and he was borderline snarling.

"No, no, nothing like that!" Roxas said, feeling panic for Naminé rise up in his gut. "I live next door to some people you went to school with and one of your ex professors who sort of lets me crash at his place if I sleep with him every once in awhile, which I can't do any more because you're so God damn _rough._"

"Which professor?" Axel asked after a few seconds and Roxas let out a small sigh of relief.

"Vexen Evans," Roxas said, getting up. He poked around to see if he was alone; there was a note on the table from Demyx.

'_Sorry Roxas, I had to go grocery shopping and Zexion had work. The file of stuff on Axel is on the table, Zexion called you in sick at school. Vexen is going to stop by later if he's still sober. If he's high don't let him in, okay? Same for Riku. You need some rest or your mom will be worried when you see her. I left you a tuna sandwich, it's in the fridge. _

_Love Demyx'_

"_Vexen Evans_?" Axel shrieked as he finished reading the note.

"Your mother is going to hear you," Roxas pointed out calmly, trying not to smile. He could hear Axel breathing heavily in the background, trying to calm himself down; he must have really disliked Vexen.

"I scream in here all the time for no apparent reason," Axel said a minute later, not sounding so angry. "Vexen lives near you? Wait, that's not the important question; you're sleeping with him in what context?"

"Similar to the context in which I sleep with you. He fucks me," Roxas said, laying down in the middle of the kitchen, staring up at the skylight. "But it's not very often. I think you've slept with me more than he has."

"He doesn't have any STDs does he?" Axel asked and Roxas giggled.

"No," he said. "Vexen is pretty clean. He gets tested every month. So do I. Why, worried?"

"No," Axel admitted. "It's just the thought that you let Vexen touch you like that...Marluxia always said he bet Vexen was really bad in bed." Then, as an afterthought. "Is he?"

"Not bad...he's like really, really cold. So it's nice in the summer but I always avoid sleeping with him in the winter," Roxas explained as a bird flew overhead. "But if I do he gives me like fifty blankets and his cat sleeps on the bed. She's one of those fluffy things that leaves layers of hair on the floor and anything else that isn't covered. Vexen usually keeps her out of the bedroom."

"You sound like this has been going on for awhile," the redhead commented and Roxas thought he heard concern in his voice. "He's never...forced himself on you, has he?"

"No," Roxas said, blushing. "I mean, for like a couple months...it was every time I was drunk. But he was high, so he wasn't exactly in his right state of mind. I mean sometimes he's still high but I try to avoid him on those days."

"How long ago was that? And fuck, when did Vexen start getting high? What does he get high on even?" Axel asked and Roxas bit his bottom lip.

"You aren't planning on...like getting him incarcerated, are you?" Roxas mumbled and Axel laughed. That soft breathless laugh that made his stomach jump and caused a slight hitch in his breath.

"My job is to represent the defendant Roxas. I hate Vexen, and that's public knowledge, so I would misrepresent him more than likely. Hence I would not be on the case and gain no profit from it," Axel said but Roxas still hesitated.

"But like you said; you hate Vexen. Maybe you just want him behind bars. Maybe you just want him away from me. How should I know?" Roxas countered, wishing it wasn't Friday. The doctor had called him and he knew his mother was worse. He would get pissed and then he would want to take it out on someone.

"Well, I do want him away from you but I doubt he really tops me on the performance chart so it's not a real worry," Axel said and Roxas rolled is eyes at the egotistical statement. "Besides, my defense would be he's a pedophile...and pointing that out would be hypocritical of me, wouldn't it?"

"You're not that much older than me," Roxas said with a smile. "Besides, I'll be eighteen in August."

"In August..." Axel repeated and Roxas sat back up.

"Yeah. So it isn't really that bad. I mean, Vexen's thirty-six and he's been having sex with me for about two years," Roxas said, opening the fridge from his place on the floor and finding his sandwich. He was having such a pleasant time; how long had it been since he'd talked to someone who didn't know all his problems yet?

"Then why are you sleeping with me?" Axel inquired. Roxas wondered vaguely what he was doing this whole time when an awful idea occurred to him.

"Oh, the usual reasons I'm sure. You're hot, you hand me a jaw-dropping wad of cash at the end of every night and its _sex_. Need I say more?" Roxas answered as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"True, true," Axel said with a chuckle. "But despite all that, is there some specific reason?"

"No," Roxas said, taking another bite of his sandwich. "What the hell are you doing? Where are you?"

"Pretending to be looking through my case files in my office," Axel responded. Another bite of the sandwich. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," Roxas said, finishing the last little bit of his sandwich off quickly. "I'm horny, talk dirty to me."

"Why don't you just go down the hall and hop into bed with Vexen?" Axel asked and Roxas knew he was leering as he said. Something in Axel's voice carried the same tone he had when he wanted to get Roxas all hot and bothered.

"I don't wanna," he said, getting up. He was not doing this in Zexion and Demyx's kitchen. "I wanna hear your voice telling me about all the dirty things you want to do to me the next time we fuck while I touch myself. Is that such a _hard _thing to grasp...Axel?"

"You little bitch," hissed the redhead. Roxas smirked as he slipped into the bathroom. Axel was a goner after he said his name like that.

"Words, Axel, are meaningless in a situation like this. If you really don't like the idea that much...you could always come to my place," Roxas said and he wanted to slap himself immediately afterward. "Or we could go to the hotel. You could get off work early couldn't you?"

"I can't," Axel said, sounding a little put off. "I actually have to go now."

"Oh, okay. Bye Axel," Roxas managed, trying to not touch himself while Axel was still on the phone.

"Bye Roxas-oh, and Roxas?"

"Yes?" Roxas said, hand inching down his boxers. He was really having a bad day.

"Tomorrow I'm going to fuck you until you come screaming my name. In my bed," Axel said and Roxas bit his lip. "Think about that for awhile, okay?"

"Bastard," he choked out and Axel chuckled.

"I know," he said right before he hung up. Roxas glared at he phone in disbelief, forcing himself to pull his hand out of his boxers. He locked Zexion and Demyx's apartment behind him, hoping like hell Vexen wasn't high because he was getting hot just thinking about tomorrow night.

XxXxX

Roxas shifted uncomfortably in the waiting room chair, hoping there weren't any visible marks on him. Vexen _had _been high but both of them were too horny to care. Roxas had been miserable the entire walk to the hospital and was trying not to squirm too much. His mother had made friends with nearly all the nurses since her admittance to this place and he didn't want anyone telling her that he was acting odd.

Finally the doctor poked his head in and told him his mother could have visitors but he could only stay for half an hour. Roxas knew the drill but simply smiled and nodded. He followed the man in the white coat to his mother's room, swallowing hard before stepping inside. The scent of medicine assaulted his nose the second he passed the threshold but he didn't vomit, eyes looking for his mother until they landed on her frail form, small body nestled in white sheets.

"Hey Mom," he said, sitting in the chair at her bedside. She smiled at him, her dull blue eyes searching his face curiously.

"Hey Roxas, how have you been this week?" The blond woman asked and Roxas smiled.

"I've been good. I saw Kairi," he said, swinging his legs a little. Oh how he hated hospitals. They reminded him of the first time.

"Sora's little girlfriend?" She asked then flushed and quietly corrected herself. "I mean ex."

"Yeah. She's doing really well at college. Naminé got accepted to the same school as her in Traverse," Roxas said, ignoring her slip. She couldn't really be expected to remember everything, now could she?

"That's wonderful. And you got into HBU, right?" The playfulness in he mother's voice as she spoke made her seem less ill. Roxas wanted to cry but he kept the fake smile plastered on his face.

"Yep," Roxas said, biting his lip when she pushed herself up and hugged him.

"That's my baby. Taking good care of Sora?"

Nod.

"Does he still hang out with that Riku boy you liked?"

Another nod. She pulled back and Roxas helped her lay back down, smoothing out her soft brown locks. Sora took after her completely.

"Why haven't you asked him out yet? Or have you gotten over him?"

"I'm over him," Roxas said as the doctor came in. With a sigh he got up. It always seemed like such a short amount of time and she looked so much worse. Her pale face was thinning and her hair was falling out again. As the doctor lead him away he was explaining that she was getting steadily worse and worse.

Roxas didn't tell the doctor he had known that since the age of seven.

XxXxX

Cloth rustled beneath him as he shifted in his sleep and he winced when he bumped into someone, his cell phone ringing. Roxas sat up and stared down at Axel, who reached out for him for a few seconds before giving up and wrapping his arms around himself. He stumbled over to his coat and pulled his cell phone out, answering it with a quiet "hello?"

"Roxas, could you come home?"

Roxas almost dropped the phone.

"Yes," he said without thinking. He hung up and pulled his coat and shoes on, quickly scribbling a note down for Axel. He hurried down the hall to the elevator, glad they had only stayed once at Axel's house. It had been nice two weeks ago but right now it would have made leaving at three in the morning a little harder. He slumped against the elevator and waited for the doors to close, rubbing his head. His eyes shot open when he heard someone else enter and he straightened quickly when he saw Axel.

"What the hell?" Axel said and he sighed. Not what he needed.

"I have to go home," he said quietly, blushing.

"You could've woken me up," Axel muttered. "I would've driven you."

"I'm sorry," Roxas said softly, gasping when Axel pulled him into his arms. he gripped fistfuls of the front of Axel's shirt, trying to decide whether he should shove the redhead away or hug him back when Axel let him go. Axel was shivering when they reached the parking lot and Roxas tried reminded himself that Axel chose to chase him own and not grab a coat. They were at his apartment building before he knew it and he leapt out, not pausing to say goodbye to Axel. He took the stairs three at a time, panting by the time he wrenched the apartment door open. Riku was sitting stock still on the couch, eyes glazed over and phone still in hand. Roxas rushed past him to his and Sora's shared bedroom, coming to a halt as he saw what awaited him. The door had blood stains on it and no matter how hard Roxas jiggled the handle it wouldn't give. Roxas looked around the trashed room, wondering why Riku had called _him_ and not the police but he had already guessed on the phone from Riku's tone. At first he had thought Riku had finally lashed out at Sora while high but seeing Riku on the couch confirmed what he had heard in Riku's voice; the silveret was sober for the first time in years.

"Riku we need to get the door open," he told the other boy, turning back to him. Riku had scratches down his face and bruises were beginning to form on his neck and arms.

"He flipped out," Riku stated calmly. "I locked him in the room so he wouldn't hurt you or me..."

"Riku, we need to get him out here and calm him down before he hurts himself!" Roxas yelled, slamming a fist against the door.

"The doctor called. Your mother died this morning. They only called an hour ago," Riku said and Roxas trembled, pressing his forehead to the door.

"Move Roxas."

He looked up, surprised to see Axel standing there but a little too numb to care and stood aside, dropping to the couch next to Riku, who embraced him. Axel took a deep breath and kicked the door hard, the wood splintering and bending in. It was a thin door. Axel kicked it again and it broke, revealing Sora, who sat shaking on the floor, muttering to himself. He lashed out at Axel, leaving deep gouges in the redhead's arm from whatever weapon he had procured. Axel ignored them and grabbed Sora, restraining the small brunette with a belt. Sora thrashed on the floor and Riku numbly handed Axel the phone, still holding the crying blond against him. Axel didn't say a word as he dialed the police, telling them the address with help from Riku. He was about to sit down when the door opened, Vexen poking his head in.

"Riku, Sora, are you...okay?" He asked, words failing him when he saw Axel. "What are you doing here?"

"Roxas needed to get home."

"He could've taken a cab," Vexen said, stalking over to the blond. "Roxas, are you okay?"

"She's dead Vexen," Roxas said, eyes dead as he stared up at the older man. He looked so broken Axel wanted to wrap his arms around him but Riku was already doing that. "Mom's dead."

"I'll go get Zexion and Demyx," Vexen said, turning to Riku. "Watch him and don't you dare hurt him. I'll be back in a second."

"I know," Riku said and Vexen looked curious but didn't comment, heading back out.

"Zexion and Demyx live here?" Axel asked, sitting beside Riku, who had pulled Roxas into his lap and was stroking his hair.

"Across the hall," Riku confirmed. "They take care of Roxas when Sora and I are high."

"How often is that?" Axel asked, studying Roxas' face.

"More often than it should be," Riku said. Vexen came back, Zexion and Demyx right behind him. Demyx pulled Roxas out of Riku's lap, cradling the littler blond against him.

"Axel called the police," Riku said quietly and Zexion turned to look at him, examining the silveret.

"You aren't high," he said and Riku laughed.

"Never...never again. I couldn't I was too worried about Sora and I got to thinking about everything..." Riku turned to Roxas forlornly. "I hurt you, didn't I? I've hurt you...a lot these past years."

"I'll be okay," Roxas said, pulling out of Demyx's arms to wrap his own around Riku and pull him against his chest. "I will...and so will Sora." Riku wrapped his arms around Roxas' waist, burying his face in Roxas' abdomen, rocking slightly.

"Riku, you don't have any drugs lying around, right?" Axel said and they all looked at him disgustedly.

"What the fuck-"

"You called the cops over moron. I'm trying to help you cover your ass since my mother is going to grill mine in the morning," Axel said and Roxas' head shot up.

"Go to Zexion's. Riku, no one knows you live with us, go to Vexen's," the blond said steadily and the group looked concerned.

"Roxas..." Riku began, swallowing thickly before continuing. "No one is going to believe you restrained Sora on your own."

"I know," Roxas said. "Lock the door behind you, would you?"

"He'll kill you," Demyx breathed, eyeing the screeching brunette.

"Call Kairi and Naminé for me," Roxas said, ushering them all out. He paused outside the door and drug Axel into one last desperate kiss, muttering an apology before shutting the door. Riku bit his lip nervously until Vexen grabbed his arm and tugged him towards his apartment, pausing halfway. The resounding crack of something heavy hitting the door reverberated through the hall and had it not been for the wail of sirens all of them would have headed back into the room and ignored Roxas' commands. As it was they could hear the police approaching and leapt into action to head for the apartments Roxas had told them to go to. Riku called Naminé after he heard the police come and go, telling her quickly what had happened and asking her to call Kairi. It only took her a minute.

XxXxX

Roxas wasn't one for fairytales. But that wasn't always the case. A long time ago he had believed in the words scrawled across the pages in children's book. When his mother got ill Roxas wished more than anything that he could find a way to save her. When his father died in a horrible car crash a year later Roxas pleaded for it to be reversible. When Sora started to fall apart from the inside out he knew that happily ever after was a lie. The hero of the story is never would never hit his little brother in a rage or get a DUI and be required to have his princess drive him everywhere. And Sora had always been Prince Charming.

XxXxX

When Roxas woke up he was more surprised than he wanted to admit. And it didn't even have anything to do with the fact that Riku and Vexen sat on opposite ends of a small couch fast asleep across the room or that Zexion and Demyx had commandeered the armchair and were curled up together. It was more of the fact that he was still alive and not in unbearable pain that had him puzzled. His last conscious memory was of his back connecting with the mirror, feeling it shatter as he collapsed into a heap at the foot of it. And he had felt something heavy collide with his head that had the world going black.

With all this in mind Roxas did exactly what he was expected to do; he sat up. And then he fell back again, gasping and clawing at the sheets as pain wrecked every inch of his body. So now that he _was _in massive amounts of agony he was a little less bemused about everything but that still didn't explain how he was alive.

"You look like shit," someone commented on the other side of the room from the four he had first seen. He let his head fall to that side and was slightly startled to find Axel and Larxene occupying the space he didn't recall even thinking about. Axel was asleep on his wife's shoulder, head hanging to partially obscure his face but Roxas had spent too many nights beside Axel to not know whether he was awake or asleep. The blond woman however was typing on her laptop, not even bother to look up at him.

"I feel like shit. Wonder if there's a connection?" He said and the corners of Larxene's mouth tugged upwards.

"Might be," she said. "Want me to call the doctor in here? They have some really good drugs lined up to stop the pain from what I hear."

"I'll survive for a few minutes," Roxas said, studying Larxene's face. "You know, I wouldn't have pegged you for someone in an arranged marriage."

"Neither would I," Larxene said, closing her laptop. "But we are. I think it helps that we know neither of us wanted this. We've been friends since we were in elementary school."

"Demyx said that the day they made it public…you were upset," Roxas said, remembering he had promised Demyx he would ask. Something in Larxene's face when he mentioned that though reminding him of the way Kairi had looked when she got the call from Sora in the police station, asking her to pick him up. Pained and hurting.

"My mom found out I had slept with my boyfriend. She was horrified because…because…" Larxene paused and stared off over him before finishing her sentence. "I was pregnant. And he wasn't exactly up to their standards…"

Roxas knew Axel and Larxene didn't have any children. He didn't have to ask what had happened.

"And that's when they decided-"

"-that marriage was the only answer. And it helped that Axel's mother was already unhappy with him because she found out about him and Marly…which had happened in high school but still. Axel was gay and I was pregnant by a guy who wasn't rich and high up in society. We needed to be kept in line," Larxene said, still looking at the wall. Roxas took a deep shuddering breath and sat up, fisting the sheets as pain assaulted him again. He took it though so he could meet those dead green eyes.

"I've known my mother was going to die since I turned seven. My dad died a year later on a dark night driving home from the hospital," Roxas said softly and Larxene twitched. He had her attention. "Sora started doing drugs when he was sure Mom was going to die. And what Sora did, Riku did. Kairi…she tried to ignore it. She loved Sora. She loved him so much she didn't mind driving him to school everyday after he got a DUI. He was failing but she wanted him to at least go."

"When did he get so…"

"He was rarely ever violent," Roxas said, hugging himself. "Riku was the one who got violent. But it always took a lot to set either of them off at first. I was fourteen the first time Riku and I…the first time we had sex. That was when they moved her to the hospital. I was so hurt and he…if he had been level headed…" Roxas swallowed hard as he remembered coming home from school and getting the news. He could easily recall Riku trying to calm him down, holding him by his shoulders. And then it got a little fuzzy. They were kissing and falling onto the couch but Roxas couldn't care through the haze that distorted his vision. Riku was inside of him and he was screaming, whether in pain or passion, he had never been able to figure out. And as they had lain there drained of energy, Riku's arms around him as he cried himself to sleep. "It was the way things worked out, ya know?"

"I know," said Larxene. And she did.

"So then Vexen moved in and at one Riku's fucked up crack parties he found me drunk-my mother was put on life support, why were we having a party?-and he was high…my life is all about being the whore who hops into bed with the druggies. But Axel…" Roxas stopped, unsure suddenly of what he wanted to say. He glanced at Axel and the words came to him as though he had practiced them. "He makes me warm. He makes me feel like I'm home, that I'm safe and nobody is going to hurt me. And I love when he touches me. I love how he touches me. I…I think I love-"

"Roxas!" They both looked up to see Naminé and Kairi standing in the doorway of his room, a nurse at their side. She disappeared and the girls scurried forward as though worried he would pass out again.

"Roxas you should be sitting," Kairi said, easing him back. "You've been through a lot. The doctor says your ribs cracked." She noticed Larxene and Axel. "Can we help you?"

"No," Larxene said, rousing Axel. The redhead seemed about to speak but Larxene interrupted. "My husband was simply here to tell Mr. Hale the finer points of his brother's incarceration. However I see now is a bad time. Mr. Hale, you have our phone number?"

"I do. Thank you for stopping by Mr. and Mrs. Cross. I'll be sure to stop by your office after I'm discharged," Roxas said, equally as professionally as the woman he was steadily viewing with more and more respect.

"The home office if you please," Larxene said. "It's more accessible and my husband can discuss anything you need to know there."

"As soon as I'm discharged," he promised and the blonde dragged her husband out quickly after that. Kairi and Naminé watched the strange exchange but neither commented on it.

"Roxas, I'm so sorry, if I had taken you with me…I should have called someone before this happened…" Kairi whispered, burying her face in her hand.

"It's not your fault Kairi. He flipped out. And how as Riku supposed to know what would happen? He-"

"Is ridiculous and should be keeping Sora company!" Kairi snarled, head flying up, her hands falling to her sides and balling into fists.

"No he shouldn't. Kai, he's trying to go clean and he tried to get in there, I locked the door--"

"He what?" Kairi whispered, staring at Roxas as though she couldn't believe him.

"Riku's trying to go clean. And after I get out and go see the Crosses, he and I are going back to the apartment.," Roxas said firmly. Naminé looked pale.

"No, Roxas, you can move in with me and Kairi," she said nervously. "I mean, you would have to drive a little further for school or you could always go to the same school as us--"

"No Naminé," Roxas told her. "Riku needs me more than I need your help. I'm fine…Riku? He needs someone who's willing to take care of him. Someone who can help him back on his feet. And we wont be alone. Zexion, Demyx…even Vexen, they'll help us out."

"If that's what you want…" Naminé said, taking a deep breath. "Well then I can't stop you. But if you ever need us…we'll be there."

"Thank you," Roxas said, smiling. Then he groaned and laid down. "Can I see a doctor something? Some good medication?"

"Sure," said Kairi. "Let me go get a nurse." She disappeared into the hall and Roxas relaxed, slipping back into sleep.

XxXxX

When Roxas was discharged a week later he insisted Riku go home without him; he had one last stop to make. Vexen had been checking on him for the past week and making sure that there were no drugs finding their way back to the apartment, which had gone through complete renovation thanks to Zexion and Demyx. Roxas was thankfully he had these wonderful people in his life and he knew the right thing to do was probably go home and hang out with them but he had a promise to keep and come hell or high water he was keeping it.

Roxas remembered the way to Axel and Larxene's without much trouble and the cab driver even drove him all the way up their driveway free of charge. He had tipped the guy more than necessary since he hadn't been overly chatty and had brought him so far. He was barely out of the car when he was greeted by one of the butlers he had seen on his last visit. At least he thought the guy was a butler. Roxas had never been quit clear on the labels given to the hired help.

"Mr. Hale, it's a pleasure to see you again. Mr. and Mrs. Cross have both retired but I could wake one of them for you," the butler said and Roxas nibbled his lip.

"Could you please get Axel for me?" Roxas asked, following the butler inside after receiving a nod. He waited for Axel in the foyer, wondering if Axel would drag him in to the office or his bedroom. He had seen both rooms on his last visit but he didn't think those would be Axel's intentions tonight…not that he would complain if that was on Axel's mind. He was sure the hospital had kept him longer than they had too, he had felt well Thursday but they had insisted on waiting for Saturday.

"Roxas?"

The blond looked up at the sound of his name, smiling at Axel standing uncertainly at the foot of the stairs.

"Hey Axel. How have you been?" Roxas asked, taking a few steps closer to Axel. He hoped Axel would suggest they take this conversation somewhere else, he was desperate to finish telling Axel what he had started to tell Larxene.

"Good, glad to see your out of the hospital…Roxas, this really isn't a good time…" Axel said, making him frown.

"I know you were sleeping but that doesn't mean I couldn't come cuddle with you. It doesn't _always _have to be sex Axel," Roxas said, smiling once again as he closed the distance between him and Axel to kiss the redhead. He pulled away when Axel didn't respond, bewilderment on his face. "What's wrong Axel?"

"Look Roxas, you should go--"

"Axel?"

They both looked up at the top of the stairs where a slender man with hair like Riku's stood, his lithe body barely clothed. Roxas felt his stomach drop.

"Lazoo, I'll be up in a minute," the redhead said, making the man sigh.

"Alright but hurry up; I get cold rather quick," Lazoo purred, disappearing. Axel turned back to Roxas, who slapped him. Roxas almost felt some satisfaction at the snap it made when his head went to the side.

"I wind up in the hospital for a week and you replace me?! What the hell Axel?!" Roxas yelled, trembling from head to toe as he stared at the taller man.

"Look Roxas, I told you how this worked. We fuck and I pay you. You weren't available so I replaced you. I'm sorry I no longer need you--"

"You think I'm mad because you aren't paying me anymore?" Roxas whispered in shock. "You think I hit you because you fired me? _Fuck you_, I'm mad because I deluded myself into thinking I meant something more to you!" He dropped his head into his hands, trying to stop the tears that wanted to come.

"You've always been a fuck toy Roxas," Axel said expressionlessly. "And you're not even of age. I need a man Roxas, not some little kid. You were fun but…not exactly what I need. I hope you understand. I'll of course pay you for last time…I never did. Give me a minute to get my checkbook--"

"I don't want your money," Roxas said icily, raising his head. Vexen would have been proud. "Please tell Larxene that if she still needs to talk to me, she knows my phone number. Have a pleasant evening Mr. Cross." With that Roxas turned and took his leave, stalking out of the house. Once outside he didn't try to stop the tears, his cheeks streaked by the trails they made as he walked home.

It took his two hours to reach the apartment and he was exhausted as he stood on his toes to grope the door frame for the spare key. He didn't even bother putting it back as he opened the door, surprised to see Riku watching TV on the couch, Vexen fast asleep in the chair. The apartment really did look much nicer, they had put Axel's money to good use after paying his medical bills…

"Roxas, what's wrong?" Riku asked, tossing the remote at Vexen, who twitched and mumbled in his sleep but didn't wake up. The silveret made his way to Roxas, the blond feeling sick.

"He doesn't want me anymore," he whispered, breaking his intent staring contest with the TV. "He…he doesn't want me…"

"Oh Roxas,' Riku said, wrapping his arms around the shaking blond. "It's okay. You don't need him."

"I loved him," Roxas croaked, eyes filling with tears again. "I loved him so much and he-he doesn't want _me_, he replaced _me_--"

Riku pushed Roxas a little away from himself and kissed the shaking boy in his arms, sighing contentedly against Roxas' mouth.

"He may not," Riku told him in a low, husky voice. "But I sure as hell do."

That was all Roxas needed to hear. He slid his trembling arms up Riku's neck and kissed him again, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall again. Riku slid his hands down Roxas' back, cupping the firm ass beneath his splayed fingers and lifted Roxas a little. The blond pulled his mouth away to place kisses over Riku's shoulders, twining his slim legs around the silver haired man's waist so Riku would have less trouble carrying him to his room. Roxas' was still trashed and he honestly wasn't sure he could sleep in the room he had once shared with Sora without feeling guilty for not being there when the brunette finally broke.

Riku dropped him on the bed unceremoniously, following him rather quickly. Roxas wondered vaguely if Vexen would hear them as Riku slid his hands up his shirt, shaking fingers tracing the contours of Roxas' chest as the blond sat astride his lap.

"Roxas, what do you want me to do?" Riku asked him softly, nipping at Roxas' earlobe. The teen gasped in shock, blushing as Riku's long hands stroked his sides before slipping down to pet his thighs. "What do you want me to do to you?" Roxas didn't know how to answer as Riku kissed over his neck and jaw, unsure suddenly if he could even pleasure Riku back._ I need a man Roxas, not some little kid._

"Riku, wait, are you sure?" Roxas asked, pushing away from the silveret. "I mean…I know we did before but you were high and…it might not be as good now…"

Riku stared at him in surprise and then laughed, making Roxas shift uncomfortably in his lap.

"Roxas, the only time I have been even this close to sober was the first time and let me tell you-no time was better than that one," Riku informed him, shoving Roxas down on the bed. Roxas smiled and reached between them, gripping the hem of Riku's shirt and dragging it off.

"I'll just have to up your standards then, wont I?" Roxas breathed, rolling them over and kissing Riku as his fingers ran over the defined muscles beneath his fingers. Riku moaned in his mouth, fingers coming up to hold Roxas' waist as lifted his hips to grind against the blond looming over him. Roxas broke their kiss, throwing his head back as he moaned and thrust his hips back against Riku's. "Oh Riku…that felt so good, please don't stop."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Riku promised, rolling his hips just to see the pleasure written on Roxas' features. The petite teen tangled his fingers in Riku's hair and began leaving kisses on Riku's neck, some butterfly light, others leaving marks in their wake. Riku tried to remove his shirt but Roxas grabbed his wrist.

"Not yet," he told Riku sweetly, kissing his wrist before releasing him. "Let's get you out of these pants first."

"Demanding," Riku commented with a smirk as Roxas unbuttoned his jeans with nimble fingers, gasping when Roxas slid down his body to tug the zipper down with his teeth. He came back up with a smirk of his own, tugging Riku's pants and boxers off impatiently.

"Hmm," Roxas said as he examined the body splayed out beneath him. "What to do, what to do?"

"Get rid of your clothes?" Riku suggested, eyes narrowing as he bucked his hips. "Like now?"

"Patience is a virtue Riku," Roxas informed him, standing up. "But if you just want me to lose my clothes…"

"Yes. Now, let's see you ditch all those pesky layers, hmm?" Riku said, crossing his arms behind his head and leering at the boy standing before him.

"Alright,' Roxas said, crossing his arms in front of himself, teasingly lifting his shirt up. Riku sat up on his elbows, unused to Roxas exercising this method to arose him while he stripped. When he finally got his shirt off he dropped it on the floor and carelessly brought his free hand to his chest, dragging it down his body with a smile playing across his lips as he hummed to himself. The silver haired man sat up fully,

supporting his weight with his hands behind him as Roxas undid first the zipper and then the button of his jeans. Then he seemed to remember something and twirled around to bend over, giving Riku a lovely view of his back side as he removed his socks and shoes. He straightened slowly, dragging his hands up his legs to rest on the waistband of his pants. Back still to Riku he eased the garment off, revealing he wore nothing underneath, tossing aside his jeans before turning to Riku with a slight smirk, enjoying the look of utter want on Riku's face.

"See something you like…Riku?" The blond purred and Riku growled, hands shooting out and grabbing Roxas by his hips. He dragged the petite boy back and flipped him on to his back, pinning the startled blond beneath him as he yanked the nightstand drawer open. Roxas blinked his surprise away and lifted his hips to rub their cocks together, head falling to the side as he panted out groans of pleasure that distracted Riku from his current search for lube. The silveret moaned in response to Roxas' actions, replicating them as he reached he scrabbled to find something he could use for lube when his fingers brushed the bottle, swearing bitterly when he found it to be empty.

"Roxas, there-oh fuck-there's no lube--" Riku informed the nubile male beneath him, causing Roxas to pause in his ministrations as he thought. His hazy brain seemed to find a solution and he grabbed Riku's right hand, bringing it to his lips. He kissed the tips teasingly before slipping them into his mouth, groaning softly as Riku stroked his tongue. A thin trail of saliva clung to Riku's fingers when he removed them but Roxas licked his lips to break it, watching as Riku slipped a hand between their bodies and press a finger into Roxas. The silver haired man smirked to himself as he watched Roxas writhe under his touch, every finger he added making Roxas keen wildly and thrash his head.

"Riku, oh fuck Riku, right there, right-_oh my fucking God, Riku!_" Shrieked the blond, thrusting his hips up, head falling back as he began begging incoherently for the man above him.

"I think I found your sweet spot," Riku purred, removing his hand and pressing a gentle kiss to Roxas' lips and then his forehead. "So what do you want me to do about my cock?"

Roxas smiled hazily.

"The same thing we did for your fingers," said Roxas, causing Riku to swallow hard. "You're always asking me to blow you anyway and well…I've been practicing." Riku almost asked but Roxas had rolled them over and his head was between Riku's leg and Riku's mind had just gone blank. Not nearly long enough in his opinion later Roxas came back up, kissing Riku and tasting like him but he couldn't remember if he had come as he flipped them over again. Roxas wouldn't let him break the kiss even as he slipped into the lithe teen beneath him, his hands tensing on Riku's shoulders as he waited for Roxas' to adjust. The silver haired male finally tugged his mouth away from Roxas' only to latch onto his exposed throat and watch him gasp out in pleasure. Roxas gave an involuntary start that had Riku pulling back and thrusting into him. Roxas let out a thin whimper of pain and Riku froze for a moment.

"Sorry," he breathed in a shaky voice. "I thought you were-sorry."

"It's fine Ri, I know it hurts and it's just…I guess my body is just too used to one person to take it at the moment," Roxas said softly and Riku sighed, kissing his forehead.

"I'm sorry Rox, I'm so sorry," Riku murmured, fingers curling in the blanket as Roxas gently rocked his hips.

"I'm _fine_," Roxas said, smiling as Riku's concern. Then his expression turned completely erotic. "I'm fine so…why aren't you fucking me Riku?"

The silveret groaned at that statement and repeated his earlier actions, watching Roxas' eyes glaze over. Riku couldn't help but wonder if Roxas had ever compared Axel and him while they fucked before he discarded the idea quickly. Roxas was pissed off at the asshole and besides he had known they couldn't continue on; Axel was married for fuck's sake. Riku would take him though and mend all the wounds Axel had left his poor Roxas with and Vexen would most certainly help; he adored Roxas, who was the only person Vexen really tolerated from what Riku had seen.

"Rox…fuck Rox, I'm gonna-"

"Harder Riku," Roxas breathed out as Riku trembled, feeling blunt fingernails digging into his neck and back. "God Riku, you've gotta fuck me harder. You've gotta-_oh my God_, yes, right there, right there, oh please, oh please-"

Roxas repeated himself an awful when he was getting fucked just the way he wanted, didn't he?

Riku couldn't help but wonder how Axel had ever thought about banging anyone else after screwing Roxas-the way he moved, the way his face changed every five seconds and how wonderfully vocal Roxas was. Christ, Riku would never be able to say that people who were loud during sex were either porn stars or virgins because Roxas was just about to make him go deaf and he almost wanted to call out to make sure Vexen was asleep but then Roxas drug him down for another kiss and he forgot how to think.

It was maybe forty five minutes when Roxas finally came with a particularly hard stroke of Riku's hand on his cock, crying out for the silveret on top of him. Riku came shortly after, pulling out and collapsing off to Roxas' side, smiling like a maniac. Roxas snuggled against his shoulder, smiling when Riku began stroking his hair as he drifted off. Riku jumped slightly when the lights shut off, glancing at the cracked door and the hand holding it open.

"I'm going home, okay?" Vexen called from the other side. "Zexion said Demyx will have breakfast on the table at nine; don't be late."

"Thanks Vexen," Riku called.

"You're welcome," Vexen called. "If Roxas gets bored, he knows where to find me."

Riku fell asleep laughing, completely missing Vexen's exist.

XxXxX

"Roxas!"

The called blond looked up, waiting for Naminé to catch up with him. She bent double and grabbed her knees when she reached him, panting a little.

"Hey Naminé, what's up?" Roxas asked as she straightened.

"I've been chasing you for a block. I never get to see you anymore," she said, smiling. They started walking, Roxas checking the street signs to make sure he was going the right way.

"Sorry. How's college been treating you?" Roxas inquired as he slid into the grocery store. Naminé grinned and began telling him all about life in Traverse and her art class.

"So, how are you and Riku?" Naminé finally said, studying his face as he grabbed several store brand Cup-O-Noodles and tossed them into the basket slung across his arm.

"Well, we've been pretty good," Roxas said, smiling a little. "We go see Sora every Sunday-rehab is really helping him, he really wants to get better Nami. You wouldn't believe how much better he's gotten. And Riku and Vexen-did I tell you Vex quite dealing? He isn't even smoking pot anymore. Anyway, they found this great support group and they've both been clean for four months."

"Since Sora got arrested?" Naminé prodded and Roxas nodded.

"Riku's taking night classes at the community college and he's got a job working at the music store we always used to go to, you know the Usual Spot?" Roxas said, looking really pleased.

"That's wonderful! Xion and I have been worried about you. I know we still talk all the time but…well you never tell us this stuff," Naminé said and Roxas rubbed the back of his head, pausing at the end of the baking aisle.

"I know but…I've been having a really hard time getting over what Axel did and it's hard to talk about everything," Roxas said, sighing. He had finally told Naminé, Kairi and Xion what had been going on and while they had been shocked by the fact he was sleeping with some guy for money, they had been happy to hear that Roxas had been falling for him. Then he had told them about the last time he had seen Axel and they had been ready to kill the 'redheaded bastard'.

"But you and Riku…that's been good, right?" She asked, worried Roxas would say no, he and Riku weren't well.

"Oh, _that's _been great. He's perfect now that he doesn't do drugs. I mean, he's still narcissistic and an asshole at times but he's got his moments," Roxas said, smiling as he grabbed a box of brownie mix. "Like we make something sweet every Saturday and watch movies together and whenever we_ do _fight he always makes it up to me, which is _amazing_."

"Somebody's been spoiled," Naminé said, smiling.

"Yeah. So when do I get to meet _your _new boyfriend?" Roxas asked, hands on his hips. Naminé rolled her eyes.

"Why do you do this when you know you have met him?" Naminé asked, giving him a look as he checked a carton of eggs.

"Because it's my ex boss," Roxas said as though that were obvious. "How's Marluxia anyway?"

"Good," she said, smiling. "He said Larxene's divorce to her husband was finalized yesterday. She and I are going apartment shopping Monday, do you want to come?"

The funny thing about Naminé knowing about Axel and dating the son of a bitch's best friend? Everyone made sure that Axel was referred to as 'Larxene's husband'. Even Larxene pretended that Roxas had never met Axel. Roxas had lunch with Larxene nearly every Monday since he didn't have class that day.

"That sounds like fun," Roxas said as he headed to the check out line, basket nearly bursting with the groceries he had crammed into it. "What time and where are we meeting?"

Naminé told Roxas everything as they waited in line, walking with him back to the apartment after he had his groceries checked out. Riku was home when they arrived, greeting Naminé with a hug and Roxas with a rather quick kiss that had the blond smiling as Riku took his bags and went to put the groceries away. Zexion was sitting on the couch, reading a set of instructions, while Demyx waited patiently on the floor with pieces of what looked suspiciously like a new coffee table. Vexen was sitting in the chair watching the couple work, a pile of papers in his lap. Demyx chirped a hello and hugged them both, drilling Naminé for information on her new life as he dragged her down to the floor, Zexion folding the instructions up and putting them on the arm of the couch. Roxas smiled at him as he made his way to Vexen, pecking the blond man on the cheek to get his attention since Vexen was absorbed once more by the papers in his lap.

"So, did you get your job back?" Naminé asked and Vexen nodded.

"They only fired me out of principal and since I passed the drug test they felt they could hire me with few worries," Vexen said.

"Congrats!" Naminé said, smiling at him. He inclined his head and then turned his attention back down to his papers, smirking slightly.

"He's really happy about it," Roxas said, smiling. "I'm gonna go help Riku with the groceries."

"Okay," Naminé said, yelping when Demyx leapt on her.

"Perfect! That means you can help me with this table! Zexion's been trying to explain it but it's really complex…"

That was all Roxas heard before he slipped into the kitchen, where Riku was stuffing the Cup-O-Noodles into a cabinet. He leaned against he doorframe, trying to look stern as he cleared his throat.

"Uh…hey Roxas," Riku said, cursing.

"I thought we talked about putting them away properly," Roxas said, laughing.

"Well, at least I'm putting everything in the right spot," Riku pointed out. Roxas' mouth twitch.

"Smartass," Roxas said.

"Better a smartass then a dumbass," countered his boyfriend. Roxas groaned, letting Riku pull him closer as the silveret left the other non-refrigerated food on the table. He kissed back, smiling as his arms slid around Riku's neck despite that fact he was supposed to be mad. Then his cell phone and he froze. It was coming from the living room but he could still make out the tune and his heart was thundering in his chest.

"Roxas? Do you want me to answer that?" Naminé called, snapping Roxas out of his trance.

"No!" He shrieked, bolting into the living room and snatching his phone up. He smacked the ignore button and shut it off before throwing the innocent little technological device across the room. Riku raised an eyebrow and Naminé looked shocked but neither of them commented. Demyx did though.

"Roxas? What was that about?" He asked, studying Roxas' face. The other boy was so very pale…

"Axel," Roxas choked, swallowing hard. Riku looked as though someone had electrocuted him. "That was Axel's ring tone."

Demyx exchanged a worried look with Zexion, Vexen paused in his reading, and Naminé bit her lip. Riku simply stood there with wide eyes, wondering what to do. Finally he decided on the one thing he _could _do.

"I know how to block numbers," Riku said. Roxas had never looked so grateful as he did in that moment.

XxXxX

"Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you feeling better?" Riku asked later that night once everyone had returned to their respective apartments or homes. Roxas shifted in bed and turned to Riku, looking completely baffled.

"Yeah, why do you ask Ri?" Roxas asked, smiling a little as fingers traced patterns over his bare back.

"You looked really upset earlier," Riku said, tugging him into a light kiss. "And I don't want to see you hurt again."

"Thanks for the concern but I'll be fine…I've got you," Roxas said, slipping a hand over Riku's bare chest before kissing his clavicle. He closed his eyes just in case Riku could see the tears in his eyes as he kissed him on the mouth. For the first time in four months he couldn't stop his mind from remembering nights spent in another room, in another town and in another man's arms.

_-"Axel?" He called as he slipped back into the room. He'd gone out onto the balcony for a cigarette and Axel had said he would wait for him to finish. The redhead answered from the bathroom, Roxas smiling as he slipped into the tiny room. Axel was standing in the shower, back against the wall and a smirk on his lips. _

"_You ever had sex in a shower?" Axel asked curiously and Roxas giggled as he stripped his jeans off, tossing them back into the room before slipping into the small stall._

"_Nope," Roxas said, pressing his body against the taller man. "Want to remedy that?"-_

_-"Okay, so where did this one come from?" Roxas asked, index finger tracing the long scar that went across Axel's hip. _

"_My mom," Axel said quietly, taking Roxas' wrist and dragging the blond on top of him. His fingers stroked a patch of pink skin that stretched over Roxas' lower back. "With the firewood poker thing. Where's this one from?"_

"_I fell on the stove," Roxas said, kissing Axel to stop the flow of questions. He had more scars then Axel and the redhead had finally run out. He wasn't telling him about Riku and Vexen. He wasn't telling him about Sora shoving him down on the still burning stove. _

_He didn't trust Axel that much.-_

_-Roxas tensed at the sound of movement on his left._

"_I changed my mind, you're a perverted freak," he said nervously. Axel chuckled and he held his breath._

"_You already agreed," Axel pointed out, stroking his cheek. It was almost tender, probably to soothe him._

"_The first time you bring me over and not only do you chain me to the bed, you blindfold me," Roxas stated like he couldn't believe it. "You are an absolute bastard. We are never having sex at your place again. __**Ever**__."_

"_I'll change your mind by the end of this," Axel promised, straddling Roxas' bare waist. _

"_You are a conniving bastard and-__**holy fuck what did you just-ah Axel! Again! Oh please!**__" Roxas stopped himself, crying out in pleasure as Axel began grinding their hips. He let another hoarse cry as his pants were undone, unsure of what Axel was going to do next but it excited him immensely._

_Maybe next time they came over he could chain Axel to the bed.-_

Roxas tangled his fingers with Riku's on his hip and snuggled against the sleeping silveret, biting his lip against the tears that threatened to fall. He hoped Riku didn't wake up. He pressed a kiss to Riku's nose, snuggling under the other boy's chin. He jumped a little when fingers caressed his hair but he didn't say another word, smiling a little. Of course Riku was still awake. He hadn't finished making Roxas feel better. He wouldn't leave Roxas to cry himself to sleep alone ever again.

XxXxX

Monday found Larxene and Roxas waiting for Naminé outside the café where they usually did lunch, Roxas glaring at anyone who gave them a funny look through his sunglasses. He supposed they did make an odd pair and that wearing sunglasses in late November may seem odd to tourists but Hollow Bastion was hot all year round and the sun beat down on them painfully. Roxas didn't mind, he had grown up on Destiny Islands where the temperature had been almost unbearable. Larxene had grown up here in Hollow Bastion, so it didn't particularly bother her, but they were amused by some of the tourists who had sunburns normally not acquired unless one was out in the open on the summer.

"Where's Naminé?" Roxas whined as he sipped on a milkshake, pouting a bit.

"Like I know,' Larxene said with a sigh. She turned her worried green eyes on Roxas. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alive," he said, smiling a little. "I just miss him, for all that he's a bastard."

"I know," Larxene said, smiling softly. "I'm sorry Roxas."

Mother hen, that Larxene. But only to her own, the rest could go fuck themselves.

"He called yesterday," Roxas whispered, voice devoid of any emotion. "Riku blocked his number."

"I can find out what he wanted," Larxene said and Roxas snorted.

"He wanted to fuck me," the blond spat out. "He _always _wanted to fuck me, everyway he could think up .First on my back, maybe my knees, on the wall, in the elevator, on the balcony…anywhere he could think."

"I'll call him," Larxene said, pulling her cellphone out and dialing her ex-husband's number, humming as she did. After a few minutes she appeared to have gotten him. "Hey Axel, what's up?" She listened for a few minutes, eyebrows knitting together in a way that made Roxas' stomach tie into knots. When Axel finally finished Larxene took a deep breath and handed Roxas the phone. He didn't want to take it. Morally, emotionally, physically and psychologically, he didn't want the damn thing.

He still took it.

"Hello Axel," he managed.

"Hey Roxas," the redhead said. Roxas had to fight to breath.

"Did you need me?"

'_Did you want me back?'_

"Yes," Axel answered.

"For what?" Roxas asked, seeking clarification.

"I miss waking up with you curled up beside me," Axel began. Roxas swallowed hard. Oh no. "I'm sorry I slept with Lazoo. I was in need--"

"You wanted," Roxas corrected. Larxene smirked. Apparently she also thought Axel needed to be set straight on the difference.

"I wanted Lazoo to keep me company. I had no right to say what I did--"

"I'm dating Riku," Roxas said, holding his ground. "He loves me." Roxas smiled ruthlessly as he remembered words thrown blasé across the room. "I don't need you anymore."

"I need you," Axel said.

"Liar," Roxas laughed. He felt sadistic and masochistic all at once. He hurt Axel and himself with so few words it was pathetic.

"I'm not," Axel said. Roxas laughed again.

"Sure you aren't," Roxas sneered. "So the next time I end up unavailable you'll call some other brazen little whore desperate for cash? My boyfriend has a steady job. I'm going to school. My mother's _dead_, she was the only reason I needed your fucking money. I have someone who loves me. I'm set."

"I love you," Axel said. It was so quiet Roxas almost didn't catch it. Unfortunately, he did.

He hung up.

"What did he say?" Larxene asked and Roxas gave her the most shattered look Larxene had ever seen.

"'I love you,'" Roxas repeated. Larxene wrapped her arms around him and hugged until Roxas stopped crying. She drove him home, calling Naminé to tell her plans had changed. Naminé took it in stride and Roxas was almost okay when he said goodbye to Larxene and headed to his apartment.

Riku was home when he got there. And he wasn't alone.

"Sora!" Roxas cried, flinging himself into the brunette and hugging his brother.

"I'm better Roxas," Sora said, eyes promising. "And, uh, I have other news."

"What?" Roxas asked, too happy to see Sora again to really care. And then Riku slid an arm around Sora's waist and Roxas knew what it was. Sora started to speak-maybe to apologize, maybe to explain-but Roxas clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Roxas," Riku said and the blond smiled.

"We have to start making dinner to celebrate you coming home Sora," Roxas said calmly. "And to celebrate the happy couple of course."

Sora looked relieved, Riku looked relieved and Roxas spent the next month waking up in Vexen's arms.

XxXxX

"I think I'm cursed," Roxas announced, hugging Vexen's cat. "Are you going to tell Marluxia you're in love with him now, or are you waiting for me to find my one true love first?"

"I'm waiting for him to break it off with Naminé," Vexen said, flipping through the channels. Roxas glared at him from his lap.

"I'm being serious you asshole," Roxas said.

"As am I," Vexen assured him and Roxas moaned, letting go of Mr. Huggleworth and rolling onto his stomach.

"Naminé told him they were through yesterday," Roxas said, tilting his head to the side to watch TV that way. "She felt restricted and she met this guy named Hayner who is like, amazing, according to her."

"That was surprisingly short."

"They lasted three months," Roxas pointed out, forgetting conveniently last months events. He had moved in with Vexen for all intents and purposes. "And I can't move in with Zexion and Demyx. Where am I supposed to go?"

"Back with Riku and Sora?"

"Hell no," Roxas said, sitting up. His cellphone rang and he blanched, giving the device a dirty look.

"Axel's calling again," Vexen noted. "Can't help but notice that even though you unblocked his number, you won't answer."

"He said 'I love you,'" Roxas grumbled, studying the wall. "I felt nice enough to unblock it. There is no law saying I have to answer now."

"Alright," Vexen said, picking his phone up and answering. "Hello, Axel. Do you need something?" Vexen put the phone on speaker and clapped a hand over other the petite teen struggling in his lap.

"Roxas, I need to talk to Roxas…is this Vexen? Please don't tell me _you're_ the boyfriend," Axel said.

"No, Riku is the one you're thinking of," Vexen corrected and Roxas glared at him. "Roxas and him broke up however and he has been staying with me as of late. In my bed to be perfectly honest."

"Pedophile," Axel muttered and Vexen's lips twisted into a cruel smirk.

"Pot calling the kettle black? Roxas is eighteen now Axel. He has been since August," Vexen said.

"I see…" Axel said, trailing off into a sigh. "Vexen, if we can't be straight in any other capacity, let's be straight with each other. What I did was wrong. I know that. I thought, fuck, I'm getting too close and I put some distance between us. And you know something, I didn't regret it. Because Roxas deserved to date someone his age. He needed to be with people his own age and not throw his lot in with the guy paying him for sex. But whenever I woke up and it wasn't Roxas laying next to me…I felt like my heart was missing a piece of it. A big piece. And I just want to tell him that."

Vexen looked at the wide eyed boy whose mouth he was covering and seemed to make the decision that would change Roxas' life simply by what he saw in that one broken, tear-filled look.

"You already have. Here's Roxas."

He thrust the phone in Roxas' hand, turned speaker phone off and pressed it to Roxas' ear.

"Axel?"

"Hey Roxas…look, I--"

"I heard. Vexen had it on speaker," Roxas said and Axel made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a squeak. "I could've decided on my own to date someone my own age."

"I know," Axel said. "But you wouldn't. You came over that night to tell me you love me, didn't you?"

"I still do," Roxas said softly. There was silence for a few minutes before Axel spoke again.

"Would you please date me Roxas?" He breathed and Roxas thought, biting his lip.

"Only if you ask me in person," Roxas said and hung up. Vexen seemed intrigued by that, grabbing his coat as Mr. Huggleworth twined around his legs.

"Make him take you to his house, he is not having sex with you here."

"Vexen!"

"I'm going to go tell Marluxia he's a bastard and I love him."

"Vexen!"

"What?" Vexen asked, apparently not impressed by Roxas' inability to form a coherent sentence.

"You can't tell him like that!" Roxas yelled as Vexen slipped out of the apartment and Roxas groaned, dropping his head in his hand.

"I'm surrounded by idiots," Roxas said as he slipped into the hall, sighing.

"Do you have room for one more?"

Roxas turned around to find Axel standing there, business suit and all. He smiled.

"Just one," he said. Axel kissed him.

Roxas felt like he was home.

XxXxX

So in the end, Riku and Sora never did drugs again. They finished school and revived their friendship with Kairi, who had met some guy at college and married him several years later. Naminé (who married Hayner a few years later and made Kairi her Maid of Honor and had Roxas give her away) was her Maid of Honor and since her parents refused to show, her two best friends in the world gave her away. Riku and Sora were together for the rest of the lives until the day they were in the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time and got caught in a drive by shooting.

Vexen and Marluxia wound up together for a week. They got into a fight, made up and got back together. For some reason, Axel thought this was hilarious but neither he nor Larxene really complained when Marluxia came to crash at their respective places. Vexen and Marluxia never really broke up for a prolonged period; they were together until the day Vexen got in a terrible car crash and Marluxia was a wreck. He lived a total of two years after the incident and then died during a robbery attempt on his café.

Zexion and Demyx, who for some reason felt like they were the responsible adults of the group, lived in their apartment until the others had finally left and then they bought a lovely house on the beach. Zexion researched the ocean life, Demyx played music and they were perfectly happy. They lived for several years there until a tsunami crashed into the home they had refused to evacuate. Roxas always suspected that neither of them had been sorry about their fate-they had been together until the end.

Larxene remarried twice before she finally settled down with a man she met through a friend (Roxas) of a friend (Demyx) of a friend (Xigbar). They lived together for many years and when he died he left Larxene with three daughters and one son to keep her company. She lived longer than any of her friends and died in her sleep at the ripe old age of 110 after traumatizing her great grandchildren during the Christmas party.

Axel and Roxas lived together in Hollow Bastion for years before Roxas finally came home one day and told Axel he wanted a child. They adopted a brunette baby girl with big green eyes named Olette and bought a house on the outskirts of Hollow Bastion. Axel and Roxas died years after Olette had gone out and started her own family when their car veered off the side of the road and flew off a cliff. However, years before that, before they even adopted Olette, they had a conversation that Roxas always remembered.

_-"I hate fairytales," Roxas said, tracing designs on Axel's chest._

"_How come?" Axel asked, kissing Roxas' jaw as he spoke._

"_Because fairytales are for fools. Happily ever after is such a glorified lie. Reality doesn't work like that. Hell, you and I didn't work out like that," Roxas said, sitting up to look down into blazing green eyes._

"_Fairytales aren't supposed to tell us the truth. They're a reprieve from reality. They're not truthfully because when you're little, the perfect lie is to stand there and pretend you're the princess about to be rescued, the prince about to slay the dragon," Axel said, tucking a few stray strands of blond behind Roxas' ear._

"_Where's my prince then?"_

"_You're a boy," Axel pointed out._

"_I wanted a prince," Roxas said. "So where the bloody hell is my prince?"_

"_I believe I would qualify," Axel said. Roxas gave him a blank look. Then-_

"_No, I'm serious, where's my prince?"_

_Axel groaned and threw his head back._

"_You are hopelessly ungrateful, you know that?" Axel said, glaring at him. Roxas leaned down and kissed him with a grin._

"_Or you can't take a joke," Roxas said, dropping little kisses along Axel's neck. _

"_You know," Axel said after a few minutes of silence. "I think it's a point. Because happily ever after isn't that simple, but maybe…maybe it's after happily ever after that matters. I mean, you don't see any of those couples really arguing do you? Because the important part hasn't happened yet."_

"_I maintain it sucks."_

"_You suck."_

"_Not anymore," Roxas said and Axel stared for all of five seconds before he burst into laughter. _

"_Happily ever after is a glorified lie," Axel said. "And fairytales are for fools…who have hope."_

"_Point is?" Roxas asked, lying back down._

"_Fairytale endings are fr kids who have hopes nad adults who need something to believe in," Axel said and Roxas snorted._

"_I think you have it backwards."_

"_I don't think I do," Axel said as Roxas drifted off._

_Roxas couldn't help but think that maybe he was right._

**Fairytales are for Fools. Holy fuck, this is the longest one shot I've ever posted. Hope you all like it. Have a fantabulous day!**


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